Say Goodbye
by jennamarie
Summary: Hisoka is placed under a curse. Whatever will he do? Summary by Lusting Hatred. Fianal chap. is up! Lusting Hatred is my brother. Scary ne? His attempt at a summary was better than mine!
1. Chapter 1

This is my first fic, please be gentle. Reviews, comments, even flames are welcome. In order to flame it you have to read it!

Disclaimer: I don't own it. I wish! (Whimper while eating pocky)

**Chapter 1**

It was dark. Hisoka wrapped his arms around himself and tried to see into the darkness. He could feel menace radiating around him in waves.

"Hello bouya."

Hisoka startled, looked around franticly for the source of the voice and the threat he knew accompanied it.

"Where are you? Come out where I can see you, you bastard!"

"I'm right here."

Hisoka turned and finally saw the doctor standing behind him. Muraki's white suit and silver hair seemed to glow in the darkness, and the cold smile that graced his lips sent a chill through Hisoka's frame.

"What do you want?" Hisoka tried to sound menacing, but he couldn't quite keep the tremor out of his voice, after all this man had…..

"Not happy to see me?" Muraki's lips turned down in a brief pout "How cruel bouya, you know I'm quite happy see you, my lovely doll." Muraki leaned forward and ran the tips of his fingers down Hisoka's jaw line.

Hisoka stumbled back away from the contact, slapping at Muraki's hand "don't touch me!"

"You are such a bad doll." Muraki looked at Hisoka coldly "Perhaps it's time that I give you the lesson you've been begging for."

Suddenly Hisoka's curse marks flared to life and he was crushed under waves of pain.

Muraki leaned in close to him "You are such an easy target bouya, and I can always find you…..and you are such fun to play with……."

Hisoka threw back his head in a silent scream.

**XXX**

Suddenly he bolted up in his bed choking back a cry, his partner was asleep across the hall and Hisoka didn't want to wake him.

He wrapped his arms around himself, feeling the lines of fire across his chest burn.

The dreams had become more frequent since Kyoto, almost every night now, not the nightmares he use to have, but stranger dreams where Muraki talked to him, hurt him.

The bedside clock read 1:43. Hisoka shuttered and threw his legs over the side of the bed. He needed to go back to sleep, but he felt too on edge. He quietly padded to the kitchen, maybe he would give warm milk a try.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki cracked open the door to his partner's bedroom and peeked through the crack. Hisoka was still asleep laying face down, his face buried in the pillow.

Tsuzuki frowned, normally Hisoka would have been up long before he got out of bed, but recently he'd been getting up first. He knew that Hisoka was regularly getting up in the darkest hours of the night, and the loss of sleep was draining him.

He really wanted to let Hisoka sleep, but if he didn't get him up now they would be late for work and Hisoka would probably rage at him. As it was now they wouldn't have time to stop for treats on their way into the office. Tsuzuki frowned again….no cinibuns or donuts or……the sacrifices he made in the name of love.

He crept to Hisoka's bedside and gave the boy's shoulder a little shake.

"Hisoka, you need to get up now."

"Uguh."

"C'mon Soka-chan, it's twenty to nine."

Hisoka's eyes flew open

"WHAT!"

Without waiting for a response Hisoka jumped up and flew into the bathroom. Tsuzuki went the kitchen to pour the boy a cup of coffee from the pot that he'd brewed earlier.

**XXX**

A quick shower, a 10 second coffee and a near jog had the pair arriving at Ju-Oh-Cho only ten minutes late. Tsuzuki immediately headed for the break room in search of pastries. Hisoka went to his desk and sat down. He sighed and rested his head on his arms, he still felt out of focus. A shadow fell over him and he looked up at the raised eyebrows of the shikon secretary Tatsumi Seiichero.

"Good morning Kurosaki-kun, it seems you and Tsuzuki-san are a bit late today."

Hisoka reddened slightly "Hai, I overslept."

"You did?"

"Aa"

"Maybe you should have slept a little bit longer Kurosaki-kun, you still look tired." Tatsumi's lip quirked, but there was real concern in his gaze as he looked at his co-worker.

"I'm fine." Hisoka sat up straighter and pulled his first file in front of him to make his point. "Besides, I can go to bed early tonight."

Before Tatsumi could reply Tsuzuki bounced into the room. He immediately struggled to hide almost a dozen pastries behind his back.

"Ohiyo Tatsumi-san!"

"Good morning Tsuzuki." With a nod at Hisoka, Tatsumi headed to his own office.

Tsuzuki went to his desk and thumped down in his chair, spreading his array of stolen goods out before him. Choosing an apple danish, he inhaled as he watched his partner filling out his paperwork. Hisoka would write diligently for a while, and then he would seem to space out for several minutes, his eyes fogging over. Then he would give his head a shake and return to his writing. Over the next several hours Tsuzuki watched Hisoka fight his loosing battle with consciousness. By lunch Hisoka had given up and was dozing lightly on his desk using a stack of papers as a pillow.

Feeling like a villain, Tsuzuki shook Hisoka awake for the second time that day.

**XXX**

Hisoka let himself into his apartment, leaning against the door, he let himself slide down to the floor. What a long day. He had managed not to fall asleep again, but exhaustion made his eyes burn and his head throb.

Forcing himself back to his feet, he stumbled to his bedroom. He only intended to grab some clean clothes to take with him to Tsuzuki's, but the bed proved to be too much a temptation and he collapsed onto it and into a deep slumber.

**XXX**

"It's your fault Bouya"

The voice surrounded him like the darkness.

'No" he thought, 'I can't be dreaming already' He felt formless, a part of the void 'Tsuzuki, I…….need…'

"He doesn't care."

'He does……..' The darkness was swallowing him.

"You never gave him a choice bouya. He wanted an end, but you denied him that through your own selfishness, do you think he would go if it meant taking you with him, another life lost for his sake? And you hold onto him in spite of his wants, your obsession is worse than mine.

'No, I……..' Guilt, shame,

"Yes……."

"Hisoka?"

Violet eyes looked into his, Hisoka blinked uncomprehendingly. "Tsuzuki?"

Tsuzuki smiled gently and brushed blond hair back from the boy's forehead.

"I was worried when you didn't show up for dinner and came looking for you, did you have a nice nap?"

Hisoka sat up, withdrawing slightly from his partner, the disembodied voice from his dream running through his mind. He reached out to Tsuzuki with his empathy, looking for anything that would deny the truth of those hated words, but all he felt was the strong mental shielding that Tsuzuki was so good at and faint wisps of concern. He sighed and got to his feet. He swayed for a moment, still sleep dazed.

"Are you alright?" The concern from Tsuzuki was becoming stronger.

"Baka, I'm fine" Hisoka muttered

"Ok then, do you want to come back to my place, or should I just stay here?"

Hisoka sighed again in vexation. He didn't want Tsuzuki to go, at least not without him. After Kyoto, the nightmares had been so bad for both him and Tsuzuki that they had started spending the nights at each others apartments, and had been doing so ever since, but so far neither one had suggested moving in together. He didn't want Tsuzuki to go, but he was afraid for him to stay……..

"Hisoka?"

"Stay, please…." He was more afraid of being alone.

**TBC**

OK. I actually managed to write a chapter! Yay me! Gomen for any bad spelling, grammar, etc. I actually have a whole plot thought out, but putting the story around it is hard! But I've already started ch.2 (Happy dance, Happy dance)!

Ja ne


	2. Chapter 2

Major thanks to all those who reviewed, it amazes me that the people who have written the wonderful stories I have read like mine! Wow!

Glomps everyone!

Disclaimer: I still don't own it and I'm out of pocky (whimper).

**Chapter 2**

"You have a case."

Tatsumi handed a thin file to Tsuzuki, who in turn handed it to Hisoka. He opened it and began to read what was there.

"Its fairly routine, Tamura Manika died in intensive care and her soul has not turned up for judgment"

"So we just need to retrieve her soul?"

"That's it."

Tsuzuki grinned "Ok, that shouldn't be too hard." He nudged Hisoka and they both stood up and left the briefing room.

**XXX**

The pair slowly made their way towards the hospital where Tamura Manika had died. Slowly because Tsuzuki had to look in every store window along the way. When his attention was diverted Hisoka let loose a jaw popping yawn. He had spent long hours the night before staring at his ceiling, unwilling to let sleep claim him. He didn't want to hear anything that familiar, disembodied voice had to say. He was tired, but he'd been worse. Then he noticed a bakery shop up ahead and clenched his teeth in anticipation.

"Hisssssssoooooooka…."

"Baka! No!"

"Pleeeeeeeeeese!"

"No!"

"Pretty pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese!"

"Look, the hospital is right over there." Hisoka said pointing, "Let's go and retrieve Tamura-san's soul, then we can come back."

"Good! Let's go!" Tsuzuki grabbed Hisoka hand and took off at a quick trot, dragging the boy behind him. Hisoka struggled to keep up and Tsuzuki dragged him right through the hospitals revolving doors.

"Which room?" Tsuzuki asked looking around the lobby.

"Here," Hisoka looked at a paper from the file. "Room 306 in intensive care." He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to bring his mental shields up a little higher. He really hated hospitals, aside from the bad memories that crept at the back of his consciousness, the flood of emotion around him was making his head hurt…….sorrow, despair, denial….

Still rushing, and still yanking on Hisoka's arm, Tsuzuki made his way to the elevator, bouncing in place as he waited for the door to open.

When they reached room 306 they found it empty, the lost soul wasn't hiding there.

Tsuzuki tuned to Hisoka and sighed "Nothing's ever easy is it? Can you feel anything?"

"Yeah, too much" Hisoka rubbed his temples, "but not Tamura-san." Looking around the room he noticed that there was a chart still hanging at the foot of the bed. He picked it up and started to read. A moment later it fell from numb fingers.

Tsuzuki looked at Hisoka in question, and was immediately concerned. Hisoka's jade eyes were wide and unfocused. Tsuzuki frowned slightly, and then picked up the chart to see what had disturbed his partner.

Tamura Manika's primary physician was one Muraki Kazutaka.

**XXX**

"I think there may be more to this case than we first suspected." was Hisoka's big understatement of the day. He was feeling considerably better now that he was over the initial shock, and embarrassed, very embarrassed, after all, just reading the man's name had managed to freak him out. Hisoka shook his head, he was so pathetic. He was also getting dizzy watching Tsuzuki pace.

Tsuzuki barley glanced towards him as he continued wearing a groove through the floor of the very cheap motel room that they had rented for the night.

Hisoka sighed "What do you think?"

"I don't know, you?"

"Well, we don't have to jump to the conclusion that Muraki's involved here." Hisoka grimaced as Tsuzuki shot him an 'are you joking' glance. "I mean, after all the time in the hospital, and Muraki's bedside manner, she may have just decided she wanted to go home."

Tsuzuki brightened visibly at that thought. "Right, we should check out her home, and her friends. But if that doesn't pan out, or if we find anything that points to that deranged maniac, we're off this case."

"Right." Hisoka agreed.

**XXX**

Another nightmare, but this time it was Touda's flames that disturbed his sleep. Panting heavily Hisoka blinked the sleep from his eyes. The small motel room was hot and stifling, and he was having trouble catching his breath. He got out of bed, threw on his clothes from the day before. Quickly scribbling a note for Tsuzuki in case he woke up, Hisoka let himself out the door.

The night was cool and clear as Hisoka left the motel and headed for a small park down the road. The playground was empty and silent and he found it soothing. He sat on a swing and gave himself a little push. Swinging gently back and forth he let his mind wonder.

He thought back to the hidden laboratory under the university, he shuttered as he remembered Tsuzuki sitting calmly among the whirling flames, reaching out as if to embrace them. He remembered throwing himself on Tsuzuki, wrapping his arms around him, and the feelings that had been radiating from the man, the desolation, misery, loneliness and utter hopelessness. He had held on as tight as he could, to the only person he needed, trusted. It was such a small thing, he trusted Tsuzuki, and at the same time it was everything.

He had asked Tsuzuki to stay, had told him that the only place he belonged was at his side, and Tsuzuki had listened. Tsuzuki had not let him down. He had never let him down…..ever. Tsuzuki _cared_. Hisoka could feel the care coming off Tsuzuki in warm waves, and sometimes……….sometimes there was an ever stronger feeling that made Hisoka want to reach out to the man, hold him and be held.

Tsuzuki wouldn't have stayed if he didn't want to, would he?

Hisoka turned his face to the sky as he pondered the question. As if in reaction to his thoughts, the night seemed to grow darker, and the stars seemed to dim. He lowered his head and ran his hand through his hair. It was still getting darker. It was then that Hisoka noticed the presence behind him. He started to turn, but his mind was already falling into the darkness. He was falling, and he was not aware when the man in white caught him before he could hit the ground.

**XXX**

"It's time to wake up bouya."

'Nope' Hisoka thought 'I'm keeping my eyes shut and I'm not moving!' He was on his stomach on something hard and cold. His arms were stretched above his head and he could feel some kind of binds around his wrists. This did not seem to bode well.

"Open your eyes."

'Nothing doing,' he thought again 'I'm just going to play dead. I'm sure I'll be great at it.'

Suddenly something touched his back and intense pain ripped through him, causing his whole body to recoil. The bindings on his wrists and similar ones around his ankles tore his flesh as he involuntarily pulled against them. His eyes flew open in shock and he tried to remember how to breathe.

"Ahh, so I see you are awake." Muraki moved into Hisoka's line of sight. "That's good, I'd hate for you to sleep through this." The doctor tuned, and placed something into a bowl of fire on a nearby table. _A bowl of fire?_

The pain was beginning to diminish, enough for Hisoka to find his voice. "W-what did you do?"

Muraki turned a chilling smile on him "Well bouya, I would just kill you, you have after all been a very bad doll, but shinigami are difficult to kill. I could just cut off your head, but that would be crude," A slightly disgusted look crossed his face, "Especially given our history" Muraki gently brushed his fingers along Hisoka's temple. "Besides, my darling Tsuzuki-san might be vexed if I were to do something like that. So I've decided that I'm just going to drive you mad!" Something like a happy smile appeared on Muaki's face. It was the most frightening thing Hisoka had ever seen. "Maybe you'll even discover how dear Tsuzuki-san felt and take your own life, I can only hope."

Muakai turned and reclaimed the item he had placed in the fire. Hisoka saw that it was a knife, the narrow blade glowed red. "I recovered some of the burnt wood and ashes from Touda's original fire, and when I relit them, the fire burned just as intensely, and Touda's fire can harm a shinigmi, or at least burn one." Muraki lowered the burning blade to Hisoka's back again.

"No, don't…….." His words were cut off by his scream.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki groaned at the sunlight scalding his eyelids and buried his face in the pillows to escape the bright light. Wait,……..sunlight? What time was it, and why had Hisoka not woken him up? He sat up and looked at the bed across the way, it was empty and unmade.

What the hell?……..

He scanned the room and noticed a folded sheet of paper on a small table near the door. Getting out of bed he ran over and grabbed the note.

_**Tsuzuki**_

_**I couldn't sleep, I'll be back in an hour or so.**_

_**I won't go any farther than the park**_

_**Hisoka.**_

He couldn't sleep? How long had he been gone? Tsuzuki ran for his clothes.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki reached the park in minutes. There were a few mothers there with their children. He looked around franticly searching for any sign of his partner, and saw him lying on a park bench a little distance away, apparently asleep. Tsuzuki let out a sigh of relief and headed towards him.

As he got closer he realized that Hisoka was not alright, his skin was almost grey, and when he touched him, he found that the boy was cold and clammy. Tsuzuki gently lifted the boy into his arm and was unnerved by the moan of pain that he let out. Holding his partner close, he walked behind a nearby building where he could safely teleport back to Meifu.

**XXX**

Sliver blue eyes watched as Tsuzuki left with his precious burden. His lips curled upwards and he turned to go. It was time to release the girl's soul, she had been the lure, and her job was done.

So there is ch.2. Wow! Yay me again! Encouragement please, I want to get going on ch.3.


	3. Chapter 3

Alright, I have finished chapter 3 Yay me! Sorry it took so long, but the next chapter will probably take just as long.

I went back and looked at my first two chapters and had to go find a corner to hide in. I lost all my formatting when I uploaded my story, and while I tried to put it back together, something still got lost in the translation. I apologize for any confusion.

I had a real problem with this chapter, namely Tatsumi. He just didn't want to get back into the story, and every time I tried to write him in, he grabbed a writer's block off my desk and beat me over the head with it! Has anyone else had this problem?

Chapter 3

Watari Yutaka ran through the hall of Ju-Oh-Cho at top speed, a miniature ball of feathers named 003 flapped madly in his wake trying to keep up. Only moments earlier Tatsumi had come into his lab to inform him that Tsuzuki had arrived carrying an unconscious Hisoka.

The scientist and sometimes doctor burst through the door to the infirmary. He took in Tsuzuki's worried face and Hisoka's pale unmoving form in his arms.

"Put him there." Watari gestured vaguely towards half a dozen beds against the wall as he tuned away to open his supply cabinet.

Tsuzuki laid his partner gently on one of the infirmary beds, but Hisoka still let out a cry of pain and he was placed on the soft mattress. He rolled onto his side and curled into himself.

Watari picked up a syringe and filled it with a clear liquid, which he brought over and gently pulling the boy back onto his back, injected the contents into Hisoka's left arm. He saw Tsuzuki's questioning glance and smiled reassuringly at him. "Just a mild painkiller."

"What's wrong with him?" Tsuzuki looked at Watari with pleading eyes.

I'm not sure Tsuzuki-san, I don't see any obvious injuries, but something seems to be causing him a lot of pain. Here, give me a hand lets get him undressed and….." Watari paused as clear green opened and regarded him steadily. "Oh Bon, your awake! Can you tell us what happened?

Hisoka looked around, his brow wrinkling in confusion. He hurt, but nowhere near what he had experienced the last time he opened his eyes. He could feel familiar emotions around him, concern, caring, warmth. "Watari-san? Where, I mean how did I get here?"

"Tsuzuki brought you back."

"Tsuzuki?" Hisoka turned his head to face his partner. "You rescued me?"

"Rescued? I found you out cold on a bench at the park." Tsuzuki sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to brush blond strands out of emerald eyes.

"What?" Hisoka looked from Tsuzuki to Watari and back again. "But that means he must have let me go." he said in a near whisper. Tsuzuki looked almost as confused as he was; Watari was trying his best to look reassuring, even though Hisoka could feel the shock coming from him.

"He who Hisoka?" Tsuzuki looked as if he was dreading the answer. (duh, you think!)

"Muraki."

"What did he do?" Tsuzuki's voice was almost as quiet as Hisoka's had been.

"I, I'm not sure what he did!" Hisoka studied his partner carefully, noting the tension in his face and body. He was wound tighter than a violin string.

A small cough from the doorway interrupted the moment. Tsuzuki jumped almost a foot in the air and came down, missing the edge of the bed and landing on the floor. The tension broken, Hisoka found himself grinning at his unfortunate partner. Watari was not so restrained, and was nearly doubled over in laughter. Tsuzuki stood up and rubbed his bruised 'ego'.

With a ghost of a smile on his own lips Tatsumi observed the other shinigami. "Are you alright Tsuzuki-san?"

Tsuzuki flashed the secretary a sheepish smile and resettled himself on the edge of the bed. "I'm fine."

"And how are you doing Kurosaki-kun?"

"I'm ok."

Tatsumi nodded. "I just came by to inform you that Tamura-san's soul has arrived in Meifu, and Tsuzuki, Kanoe is waiting in his office for you to give your report."

"Right now?"

"Yes, right now. Kurosaki-kun will be fine, and you shouldn't be to long."

"Alright." Tsuzuki moaned getting back up. "You!" He pointed at Hisoka, "Rest! That's an order!" Hisoka shot him a dirty look that he completely ignored as he left the room with Tatsumi.

Watari moved to follow the pair but was stopped by the hand that grabbed his wrist.

"Wait, Watari-san, there's something I need you to look at." Hisoka gingerly sat up and started to remove his shirt. Watari saw the boy's jaw clench and realized the action was hurting him. He immediately moved to help, pulling the material over the boy's head.

Hisoka let out a relived sigh and lay back down, this time on his stomach, leaving his back exposed.

Watari let out a gasp of dismay "Ohh, bon!" Across Hisoka's back, just below his shoulder blades was a single line of strange characters about three inches high. He ever so gently ran his hand across the black lines burnt into the boy's skin, hearing his indrawn hiss of pain he quickly removed his hand. "How did he do this?"

"He somehow managed to recreate Toda's fire, using ashes from the original." Hisoka pause to collect himself. "He heated a knife in the fire and…..well…"

"Yeah." Watari leaned in close to study the damage done to the youth's back. "That would explain why it hasn't healed. If this was done using Toda's fire, it will heal very slowly, if at all. This looks almost like writing, but I've never seen anything quite like it before. Did he say anything to you that would give you a clue as to why he would do this, or even what it does?"

"He said he was going to drive me mad."

"What?"

"He said just killing me would be crude and Tsuzuki wouldn't like it, so he was going to drive me mad and hope I'll kill myself."

"And I'm sure Tsuzuki would like that so much better." Watari muttered to himself. Hisoka snorted.

Watari gave Hisoka a quick grin and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm going to go and run these markings through my computer and see if I can find anything similar. You should try to get some rest. Hisoka nodded and started to sit up. Watari gently pushed him back down. "Rest implies you stay in bed, reclined and possibly asleep."

"I need to put my shirt back on." He sat up.

"But Bon, won't that hurt?"

Hisoka shrugged and grabbed his shirt. "I don't want Tsuzuki to see this."

"But Bon…."

"No. He'll just worry, and he's already worried enough. We don't even know if this will do anything yet. Watari-san, please don't tell him."

"But Bon, he'll be hurt if you keep this from him." Watari watched as Hisoka folded his arms across his chest.

"Yeah, and he'll blame himself if I tell him. He'll blame himself for letting it happen, and then he'll blame himself for not being able to stop whatever it does. Which is the lesser evil?"

"Fine. I won't tell him. But I still think you should." Watari moved to leave, then turned back for just a moment. "Do you think you could handle some food? You should eat something."

Hisoka nodded and Watari rewarded him with a small smile. "Good, I'll just be a few minutes then." Watari closed the door behind him. Hisoka curled up on his side and tried to stop his mind from wondering. He was aided in this when he was suddenly dive-bombed by a small grey bundle of feathers. He started, then sat back up and picked up the tiny owl.

"Well hello 003, you decided to stay for a while?" The little owl hooted happily and skittered across Hisoka's palm. He smiled at the birds antics and stroked her chests with his forefinger. 003 nipped affectionately at his finger, then took off into air, flying circles around the bed.

Hisoka lay back down, and watched the little owl, he felt his eyes growing heavy. 'I'll just rest for a moment.' he thought as he fell asleep.

A whisper in the back of his mind.

"Now the game begins."

He was walking down a street he didn't recognize. A light drizzle made the night around him seem grey and surreal. He seemed to be completely alone except for the young woman walking slightly ahead of him carrying an umbrella, her long dark hair reached her hips and swayed gently as she walked. Pausing under a street lamp, she turned to look up at him. Bright brown eyes sparkled under the light as she offered him a warm smile. He felt himself smile back at her. His hands were in his pockets, his right fist grasped something hard.

"Thank-you for walking with me, I was worried about leaving alone" she gave a nervous laugh. "You never know what type of people you're going to meet around here."

He felt himself nod as he stepped closer to her.

His right hand left his pocket and he raised his arm over his head.

He could see the surprise on the young woman's face, he could feel her sudden fear and disbelief.

His arm descended and he watched as a silver dagger sank into her chest.

He tried to close his eyes, _please stop this,_ but his eyes remained open, seeing everything.

Blood flowed over his hands and his arm rose again, and descended, over and over.

He felt each decent of the knife, he felt the woman's pain as the blade pierced her flesh; he felt her fear, her death.

He wanted to scream, cry, anything, but he had no control. _No, please, not real, make it stop_! He could still feel the smile on his lips.

He lowered the lifeless body to the ground. Blood pooled on the ground around the corpse.

He looked down at himself, He was clothed in red.

XXXX

Tatsumi place the plate of food on a small bedside table. He watched as Hisoka tossed restlessly in his sleep.   
A nightmare, as Tatsumi watched, Hisoka's movements became more violent. He reached down and gave the boy's shoulder a small shake. "Kurosaki-kun? You need to wake up."

Hisoka didn't wake up. He was gasping in air as if he was trying to cry out, his mouth opening in silent screams. Tatsumi pulled him into a sitting position and gave him a hard shake, Hisoka slumped back down on the bed, sill asleep. "Please stop this," the youth's words were almost inaudible. The normally unflappable shadow master was coming close to panic, why wouldn't he wake up?

"No, please, not real, make it stop!" Again, raspy and quiet, but Tatsumi was sure the boy was trying to shout the words. He tapped Hisoka's cheek lightly, then again, not so lightly.

Emerald met sapphire.

Tatsumi let out a sigh of relief that the young shinigami was finally awake. Hisoka sat up and raised his hands and stared at them intently. His whole body shuttered and he let himself slump against Tatsumi.

"There's no blood." He rubbed his hands against his chest, still feeling lingering pain there.

The comment made no sense to Tatsumi. "What was that?"

"That nightmare, it seemed so real……I dreamt I killed a woman, I stabbed her to death………I couldn't stop it…" Hisoka's breathing became heavier as he approached hysteria.

Tatsumi rubbed his back in an effort to sooth the boy "It's alright Kurosaki-kun, it was just a dream."

In an extreme act of will, Hisoka pulled himself together and began to calm down. He really wanted Tatsumi to stop rubbing his back, it hurt, but he appreciated the gesture. He pulled back from the secretary. "Thank you Tatsumi-san. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

"Watari-san asked me to bring you some lunch," Tatsumi gestured to the plate of food beside the bed. "He was going to bring it himself but he had to go after Terazuma-san.

"Terazuma-san?"

"Aa," something flickered in the man's clear blue eyes, annoyance, amusement? Tatsumi's emotions were almost always a mystery, even to the empath. "Apparently Terazuma-san was having an altercation with a photocopier and planed to take an axe to it. He said the damn thing bit him again. Watari-san took exception to the idea and went to stop him."

Hisoka's eyes widened. He remembered when Terazuma had burst into his office after his first problem nasty encounter with the copier in question. The memory made him laugh out loud.

"You're feeling better now 'Soka-chan?" Tsuzuki asked, breezing into the room, heartened by the sound of his partner's laughter.

Hisoka pushed the memory of the nightmare away. "Yeah, I'm feeling better, and don't call me that."

"But Hisoookaaaaa…………."

"Baka!"


	4. Chapter 4

Welcome Back! Before I get the ball rolling I need to cover a few things.

Somehow I seem to have lost my footnote on Chapter 3, so here is my lost acknowlegment. The biting photocopier and Terazuma's problems with it I borrowed (with permission) from another fic called 'Copy Woes' by Kyra Rivers.

If you have not read it, go now. Read it. It's hilarious. Then come back. Don't forget to come back.

Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed! I love reviews! They make life worth living!

Disclaimers: I keep forgetting these things. I own nothing. I never will. Not Yami, not even the M&M's.

**Chapter 4**

Hisoka woke up and stretched his arms above his head. A glance at the clock on his bedside table told him that it was 7:25. He grinned to himself, his alarm would go off in five minutes. He reached over and flicked the alarm off. Getting out of bed, he grabbed his robe and headed to the kitchen. He put a pot of water on to boil, and went through his cupboards looking for pancake mix. Tsuzuki liked pancakes, and they were easy to make. Setting the mix on the counter Hisoka made tea then went to take a quick shower before cooking breakfast.

Feeling more awake and refreshed after his shower, Hisoka headed back to the kitchen, knocking on the door of the spare room on his way by. It wasn't enough to wake up his partner, but he'd go back after the pancakes were ready, if the smell of cooking food wasn't enough by itself.

It was.

Tsuzuki came into the kitchen just as Hisoka was placing a tall stack of pancakes on the table. Running his hands through his sleep tousled hair. Wearing only boxers and a white t-shirt he looked the very picture of 'just rolled out of bed.' Hisoka had to work to keep the smile off his face.

"Ohyio 'Soka-chan." Tsuzuki greeted him. He sat at the table and eyed the heaping plate hungrily as Hisoka poured them each a glass of orange juice.

"Dig in!"

**XXX**

Tsuzuki went to get dressed, after inhaling enough pancakes to feed a small army, while Hisoka cleaned up the kitchen. Together, they left for work walking in comfortable silence.

"Ne, Hisoka?" Silence was not Tsuzuki's forte, comfortable or not.

"Eh?"

"How are you feeling this morning, really?" The last couple of days Hisoka had been acting…..off. He seemed….nicer, and it was actually making Tsuzuki kind of nervous.

"I'm feeling pretty good." Hisoka said, giving his companion a warm smile. Tsuzuki blinked, Hisoka smiling? Was the world coming to an end? Hisoka smiled even wider at his partner's expression and the slight shock he could feel coming from him.

But he did feel good, better than he could remember feeling in ages. It had been three days since he was released from the infirmary, and he had had no nightmare since. Not even dreams that he could remember. The first night he had slept 12 hours straight through, an absolute first for Hisoka. Although he had not slept quite that long the next two nights, he had still got full nights sleep. He felt rested and relaxed. It was amazing, get some good sleep and your whole outlook changed. Tsuzuki seemed less annoying, Watari's potions seemed less life-threatening, and when Saya and Yuma had visited their office yesterday afternoon, he hadn't felt the usual urge to throttle them both to death on sight. Even his empathy seemed to have smoothed out, becoming more focused and controllable.

Hisoka felt good.

**XXX**

Tatsumi felt wretched.

For the last three days he had been holed up in his office going through police reports from all over Japan. He didn't know exactly what he was looking for, just something about Hisoka's nightmare had truly disturbed him. Granted the youth had a lot of hang-ups, but being a killer wasn't one of them.

After long days of searching, he had found a police report from Miyazaki that raised alarms in his mind. Gyuhyi Aya, 23, had been found dead of multiple stab wound to the throat and chest. The murder weapon appeared to be a narrow blade. There were no suspects, no motive and no witnesses. The time of death put her murder at approximately the same time as Hisoka had been dreaming. The victim had been on her way home from a party. Though she had said goodbye to her friends, no one had actually seen her leave. While the police were still investigating, without any leads it was apparent this would soon be a cold case. Tatsumi pulled up a picture of the dead girl, and printed it out. He needed to talk to Hisoka, he needed to find out if his suspicions were founded.

**XXX**

Hisoka and Tsuzuki spent the morning filling out reports, rather Hisoka filled out reports and Tsuzuki doodled while surreptitiously working his way through a large bag of M&Ms.

"Hey!" Watari's blond head popped through the door. "Oh! M&Ms! Can I have some?"

Tsuzuki grinned and held out the bag. Watari bounced over and helped himself to a handful. Tossing a few of the treats into his mouth he turned to face Hisoka. "Oi Bon, could you come down to the lab for a bit?"

"What for?" Tsuzuki asked.

Watari grinned evilly "He's going to be my latest experiment!" He cackled.

Tsuzuki bounded out of his chair and ran to his partner and threw himself on him. "You can't have him!" Tsuzuki cried, waving the bag of M&Ms around like a weapon.

WHACK.

"Ow!"

"Oh! 'Soka-chan, I'm so sorry!"

Hisoka rubbed his head where the bag of M&M's had made contact. He pushed Tsuzuki off of him and stood up. "Baka!" He muttered.

"'Soka? I'm sorry, are you okay?" Tsuzuki sat on the floor where he landed, tears welled in his eyes.

Hisoka sighed. "I'm fine." He offered his hand to the older man and helped him back to his feet. "Let me go see what Watari wants, and then we can go out for lunch."

"Really?" Tsuzuki threw his arms around around him. "'Sank you!"

"Your treat."

Watari watched the whole scene with amusement. When Tsuzuki finally released his partner he headed for the door. "Come on Bon, Time waits for no man!"

Hisoka shook his head and followed Watari out of the room.

Tsuzuki returned to his desk, the semi-lethal M&Ms safely contained in his lap and resumed the high pressure job of pretending to look busy. He worked diligently at his task for about 20 minutes when there was a soft knock on the door and another head popped into the room.

"Hello Tsuzuki-san, is Kurosaki-kun in? I need to speak with him."

"Ah, no. Watari came by a while ago and asked him to go to the lab. Why, is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure, but I hope not." With that Tatsumi continued towards Watari's lab, leaving Tsuzuki at his desk with confusion and worry apparent on his face.

**XXX**

"Alright Bon. Strip."

"What!"

"Take your shirt off. I want to take a look at your back."

Hisoka scowled at the scientist as he complied. Watari was immediately behind him, squatting down to look at the marks closely. For fifteen minutes Hisoka endured being poked and prodded while Watari scribbled down notes.

"Well, what do you think, dose it look any better?"

"I really can't say. They look about the same as the last time I saw them. There's no visible improvement, but it's only been three days. These marks still might heal, but it will happen very slowly. Do they hurt at all?"

"Um, no not really."

"Okay then. I guess I'm done for the moment, I know where to find you if I want you. So you better run along, unless I'm mistaken you have a date!"

Hisoka turned a brilliant shade of red as every drop of blood in his body found its way to his face. "No! It's not like that!"

But Watari just laughed. Muttering dire threats under his breath, Hisoka left to collect his partner for lunch. After all he thought with a quick grin, he had a date.

**XXX**

Tatsumi entered the lab carefully, eyeing his surroundings wary of anything that could go 'boom'. Watari was sitting at his computer, entering data from a set of notes on the table beside him. He seemed to be alone.

"Watari-san, have you seen Kurosaki-kun?"

Watari turned in his chair and looked up at the other man, brushing long blond strands out of his face. "Aa, he was here, but he left just a few minutes ago, he and Tsuzuki were going out for lunch, why, is something wrong?"

Tatsumi sighed and ran his finger through his own dark hair. "I don't know. The day that Tsuzuki brought Kurosaki-kun back from Chiju, he had a nightmare, I couldn't wake him. When he finally awoke, he was badly shaken. It was disturbing. Now I think I may have evidence that it was more than just a dream."

Amber eyes narrowed as he regarded the secretary. "Have a seat. I think we should compare notes."

**XXX**

"Hey Hisoka, did you see Tatsumi? He was looking for you."

"Really, did he say what he wanted?"

"No, but he seemed upset."

"Well, I'll look for him when we get back."

**XXX**

Hisoka was on his way back to the office that he and Tsuzuki shared. Having returned a stack of books to the library, he was now ready to leave for the day. Although he had not yet run into Tatsumi, he had no real desire to hang around after hours to find out what the man had wanted. He was more preoccupied wondering what he was going to make for dinner. He supposed he'd better think of something or else Tsuzuki might try his hand in the kitchen again. The thought made Hisoka stomach hurt.

He was mentally taking inventory of his fridge and cupboards when he felt a tingle across his back and the world around him blurred. It didn't go away, he was still aware, but it was if the reality around him had gone translucent and he could he could see another reality through it. Hisoka closed his eyes, the world he knew disappeared. The other reality remained.

"No, no, no, no, no……….."

"Are you ready to play?"

He was waking towards a bench, there was someone sitting there. From the back he could see a slender form, short spiky black hair. This person was totally unaware of his approach. Already he could feel the hard handle of the dagger in his right hand. He could feel the wind blowing softly through his hair and he could feel his lips were twisted up in a mockery of a smile. Once again he had no control.

'No, no, no, no, no, no………'

His mind kept up the litany of denial as he pulled his right hand from his pocket. He felt the sudden shock and fear from the figure on the bench as he pressed the tip of the dagger against the back of the exposed neck. Before the figure could make a move to get away, he wrapped his left hand around the vulnerable neck.

'No, no, no, no, no, no…….'

A face turned towards him. Large grey feminine eyes stared up at him wide with panic. High cheek bones, a delicate mouth. She couldn't have been more than eighteen. He felt the smile on his face widen. Fighting for control, fighting for any way to stop this. He heard a voice calling him as he pressed the knife forward into flesh.

He opened his eyes. Vertigo washed over him. He could see Tatsumi leaning over him, his mouth moving, but he could still see and feel the other reality, feel blood pouring over his hands, feel the pain and fear of the young woman who was now dying.

Then it stopped.

**XXX **

Tatsumi was beginning to feel like a stalker. He had been following Hisoka around all day, missing him by a few minutes each time. Wakaba had told him she had seen the boy heading for the library, but once again Tatsumi had been too late to catch him. He quickly headed back towards Hisoka and Tsuzuki's office hoping to catch the pair before they left for the day.

He turned a corner and saw Hisoka sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, his arms wrapped around himself defensively. He hurried over to the youth and touched his shoulder. There was no response. Hisoka's eyes were closed and his lips were moving, Tatsumi leaned in close.

"No, no, no, no, no, no………."

"Kurosaki-kun, can you hear me?" Tatsumi shook his shoulder, "Kurosaki-kun, wake up. Look at me."

Hisoka's eyes opened. Unfocused green eyes stared straight ahead. After a few moments he shuttered, then buried his face in his hands.


	5. Chapter 5

Well, here is Chapter 5. I am so proud of myself!

I am amazed I am keeping with it!

Once again I own nothing but the clothes on my back.

Enjoy! (and review, please review!)

**Chapter 5**

Tsuzuki sat at his desk. His treats long since devoured, he was hungry, board, and growing just a little annoyed. Where was Hisoka? Settling his gaze on the door, Tsuzuki willed it to open. It only took a few seconds before he gave up on that course of action. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and checked his watch. A whole minute had passed since the last time he checked.

If they were not safe in Meifu, Tsuzuki would have been worried by now. He glanced at his watch again, 20 seconds. Ok, so maybe he was worried after all.

Tsuzuki headed out the door in search of his partner.

**XXX**

Tatsumi supported an unresponsive Hisoka down to the lab. Without the arm around his waist, Tatsumi was sure that the youth would crumple to a heap on the ground.

When Hisoka had buried his face in his hands, Tatsumi had gently, but firmly, pulled his hands away and tilted the boy's head up so that their eyes met. "Kusosaki-kun, what did you see?"

"I killed her," Hisoka's voice was strained. "I came up behind her and ran a knife through her neck. When she looked at me she was so afraid! And she _hurt_!"

Tatsumi found that disturbing, had the empath been feeling the victims' emotions and distress as well as experiencing the murders? "Did you see where you were? Anything you recognized?"

"No, there were some trees, a bench, like a park, but I didn't look around, I just…."

"Listen to me." Tatsumi's blue eyes bored into the other shinigami's. "You did not do this. It was not you. Do you understand?"

"I was awake! It wasn't a nightmare." Hisoka tried to look away.

Tatsumi cupped the boys face and forced him to meet his gaze. "It. Was. Not. You."

"I couldn't stop it."

Hisoka's voice sounded so hopeless that Tatsumi had flinched. He pulled the boy to his feet and half carried him down the hall.

**XXX**

Watari was back at the computer when the pair entered the lab. He turned when he heard them. Tatsumi let Hisoka slump into a vacant chair then moved out of the way as Watari ran over.

"Bon! Bon? What's wrong" Getting no answers, Watari waved his hand in front of Hisoka face. "Are you all right?"

Tatsumi took hold of Watari's arm and pulled him a little distance away. "He had another vision." He told the blond scientist.

Watari shot the boy a sympathetic look. "Has he reached the same conclusions we did?"

"I think he's getting there, it's only a matter of time."

Watari opened his mouth to reply, but was irrupted by a moan from Hisoka, who wrapped his arms around his waist and curled in on himself, almost toppling out of the chair. He caught himself at the last moment and looked up. Once again emerald met sapphire.

"It wasn't me."

Tatsumi nodded, walked over to the youth and knelt down in front of him. "You know who it was, of course."

Hisoka nodded. He was unconsciously rocking himself back and forth. Tatsumi was at a loss at how to relive the boy's obvious distress. Mentally, he cursed a certain doctor.

"Hey, has anyone seen……Oh there you are!" Tsuzuki stopped in the doorway and found himself the recipient of three intense looks. The emerald eyes of his partner looking lost and hurt. The sapphire eyes of the man who knelt in front of him, radiating concern and frustration, and the amber eyes of the scientist who stood a little behind them, his gaze more serious than Tsuzuki could remember seeing it, for a long time anyway.

"What's going on here?" At once he moved and knelt down in front of his partner, Tatsumi moving to give him room. "Hisoka?" He reached up and placed his hand against the pale cheek. Hisoka closed his eyes and let his head fall forward until it rested on Tsuzuki's shoulder. Tsuzuki responded by wrapping his arms around the smaller shinigami, feeling tremors running through his frame.

"What's going on here?" He repeated his question, looking up at the other two men with confusion.

Tatsumi and Watari looked at each other. Watari waved his hand, "You tell him."

Tatsumi nodded. "Tsuzuki-san…"

"Wait." Hisoka's voice was muffled against Tsuzuki's shoulder. He hesitated savoring one more moment of comfort from the older man, then pulled away and looked into his partner's amethyst eyes. "I'll tell you."

Watari let out a sigh of relief. "Good. C'mon Tatsumi-san, let go get some coffee."

"Coffee?" Tatsumi looked non-pulsed.

"Yeah, coffee. Bon, don't go too far, you hear? You're going to be my guest for a while." With that, Watari grabbed ahold of Tatsumi's arm and dragged him out of the room.

Tsuzuki and Hisoka watched the other men exit before Tsuzuki turned his attention back to his partner. "So tell me."

Hisoka nodded, took a deep breath and proceeded to study his knees. "You know that Muraki caught me when we were on out last assignment, and let me go."

Tsuzuki nodded encouragingly.

"Well, while he had me, he burned some marks onto my back. I showed Watari when we got back, but he didn't know what to make of them either. I didn't tell you because…..well, I didn't want you to worry, and…."

"Can I see?" Tsuzuki asked, reaching out to touch Hisoka.

Hisoka brushed his hand aside. "Later. Anyways, later, while you were talking to Kanoe kachou, I had a dream." He shuttered at the memory. "I dreamt that I killed someone."

"You?"

Hisoka nodded. "It was awful. I had no control over what I was doing. I stabbed her, and I couldn't stop it, but…"

He looked up with pleading green eyes "It wasn't me. I was seeing through someone else's eyes." His head lowered. He wrapped his arms around his legs and rested his forehead on his knees. "It happened again after I left the library. I, He killed someone else. The first time I really thought it was a dream, just a horrible nightmare. But this time I wasn't asleep. It was real. I felt her fear and pain, and I felt her death." Hisoka shuttered again trying to pull into himself.

Tsuzuki reached out again, wrapping his arms around Hisoka tightly, searching for words to make it better. He couldn't find any. Anger rushed through him and he had to strengthen his shields to keep his emotions from further disturbing the sensitive empath. "So these marks on your back…"

"Let him share his experiences with me. I see, hear and feel what he does. But not his emotions. The emotions I feel come from his victims. Tsuzuki?"

"It's okay Hisoka, we'll find a way to stop it."

"I'd rather find a way to stop him."

"So would I."

**XXX**

Watari and Tatsumi sat across from each other at a table in the break room, each nursing a cup of coffee.

"So what do you have in mind?"

"Well, I want to keep Bon with me for a while, I want to see what happens when he has a vision. Maybe we can find a way to counter it or block it out."

"Maybe."

"You still need to talk to him, don't you?"

"Aa." Tatsumi pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefingers. "How long do you think we should give them before we go back?"

"It's only been half an hour, give them some time. Besides, it's late. You wouldn't be able to anything tonight anyway."

"So those markings you told me about, are they another curse?"

Watari shook his head, "No, not really, more like a physical component of a spell that allows Muraki to create a link between them, so he can let Bon see what he's doing."

"Did I tell you that Kurosaki-kun seems to be emphatically feeling the victims during the visions?"

"Really?" Watari looked up sharply. "That's interesting." He rubbed his chin. "Very interesting."

Tatsumi raised an eyebrow, "That wasn't quite the word that came to my mind, but alright, why is it interesting?"

Watari shook his head "I need to think about it for a bit. It could mean something, or nothing. I'm not sure."

"You think about it, I'm going back." Swallowing the last of his coffee, Tatsumi stood and turned to leave the room, and very neatly fell over in shock.

Tsuzuki stood in the doorway with one arm around Hisoka, who looked to all the world like he was ready for a nap.

"Ah, Tsuzuki, Bon, you're all done then?" Watari was grinning at them from were he sat at the table. Seeing Tatsumi start at finding the pair almost directly behind him almost cracked him up. "Well then, let's head down to the infirmary shall we?"

"The infirmary? What for?" Hisoka wasn't looking too happy, and Watari was feeling entirely too happy for his comfort.

"Just think of it as your home away from home. At least for now."

"Watari…."

"Now now Bon, I just want to keep an eye on you for a bit. It's for the best, and besides, I doubt any of us wants you alone if you have another vision."

Hisoka winced. Watari was right of course, he didn't want to be alone if he had another vision, and he knew he would. And another, and another…..He swayed on his feet and felt Tsuzuki's arm tighten around him. "Fine." He snapped.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki tucked Hisoka into one of the infirmary beds, earning himself a frosty glare of doom. Tsuzuki just smiled in response.

Tatsumi sat down on the foot of the bed. "Kurosaki-kun, have you seen this woman before?" He handed Hisoka a picture of a young woman in her early twenties with laughing brown eyes and long dark hair. Hisoka's mind flashed back to the last time he'd seen that face, as he lowered her lifeless body to the wet ground. He pushed the picture away.

"It's her. "

Tatsumi nodded. He didn't need anymore elaboration than that.


	6. Chapter 6

I'm back again!

This is a short chapter, Gomen. I promise the next one will be longer!

My love and devotion to my reviewers.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 6**

Tsuzuki, Tatsumi and Watari were effectively blocking the hallway outside the infirmary. Fortunately it was late, and most of the shinigami had long since left for the day.

"Do you think he's ok?" Tsuzuki asked, not particularly comfortable with the thought of being more than six inches away from Hisoka while he felt he needed him.

"He's fine." Watari patted Tsuzuki's arm. "He's sleeping."

"So what are we going to do?"

"I think that's obvious Tsuzuki-san" Tatsumi's eyes were icy. "We hunt down that damned doctor."

Tsuzuki's eyes flashed. "I'll go."

"No, you won't." Watari interjected. "You will stay right here."

"But…."

"No. Bon's going to need you. Barring some great miracle like Muraki being buried under a five car pile up, or suddenly developing a conscience, you know there are going to be more murders. Bon will need you here for support, and I will need you here to keep him sane."

Tatsumi nodded in agreement. "Kurosaki-kun's going to have a hard time of it until we catch that madman. Besides, there's no use in rushing down to Chijou until we have some idea where he is."

"Until then, I don't want Bon left alone. Not even for a moment."

"He won't like that." Tsuzuki pointed out.

"I don't care if he likes it. Watari returned.

""So who's with him now?"

"003."

"What! You've got your owl babysitting my partner?"

"I'll be in my office if anyone needs me." Tatsumi walked off shaking his head. Nobody noticed.

"003 is perfectly capable of watching Bon."

"Watari! She's an owl!"

**XXX**

It was dark. Hisoka peered into the utter blackness trying to make out anything at all. He reached out, but couldn't see his own hand. The darkness was like a living, breathing mass around him.

And he wasn't alone.

"Hello bouya."

"Bastard."

"Now, is that nice?" A figure formed in the darkness and drew closer. "After I went through so much trouble to keep you entertained."

Hisoka fisted his hands at his sides, trembling with barely suppressed rage. "Why did you do it? Why did you kill them?"

Muraki shrugged. "They were convenient. Besides, without them there would be no show, and it would be a shame to spoil my fun."

"We'll find a way to stop you!" Hisoka shot out.

"Doubtful."

Muraki's hand whipped out and caught him by the back of the neck. Dragging him closer till their faces were only inches apart. Hisoka's eyes widened. Anger had been holding back his fear, but that now came back full force.

"You, my doll, will never be strong enough to take on the likes of me."

Hisoka tried to pull back, but Muraki held him tight, then swooped down and claimed Hisoka's mouth.

The darkness receded a bit. Hisoka could see a sakura tree not to far away, its petals drifting gently to the ground.

'No!' Hisoka's mind rebelled, and he pushed at the doctor both physically and with his empathic talent.

Muraki let him go.

Muraki smiled.

Muraki reached out for him again.

**XXX**

"No!" The denial passed his lips as he sat up in bed. His curse marks were burning, but that was of little consequence, he was used to it. He was more bothered by a feeling of profound disgust, and spent several minutes wiping his mouth against his sleeve. Looking around and blinking a few times, he tried to figure out where he was. It was still dark after all. Then he remembered.

Oh yeah. The infirmary.

Hisoka reached out for the other presence that he knew had to be somewhere nearby. It only took him a moment to feel it. Tsuzuki was close by. Feeling somewhat reassured, he lay back down and decided to pass the time counting the holes in the ceiling tile. Such a stimulating way to pass the time.

A soft hooting distracted him before he'd reached 100. Hisoka turned his head to see the familiar ball of feathers perched on the bed frame. An odd sense of déjà vu crept over him.

"I think I'll get up." He told the tiny owl. He climbed out of bed and headed for the door. 003 flew over and landed on his head. He heard voices and cracked the door open.

"Watari! She's an owl!"

The owl in question flew to perch on her masters' shoulder and began chewing on a lock of blond hair.

"003 is a smart bird, she'll let us know if anything happens."

"But Watari…." Tsuzuki was now eyeing the owl on Watari's shoulder.

"And she'll be quiet and let him sleep."

"But Watari…." Tsuzuki's eyes flicked over to the infirmary door he saw Hisoka peeking out. Hisoka put a finger to his lips and grinned. Tsuzuki grinned back.

"No buts, it'll be fine."

"But Watari…."

Hisoka opened the door quietly and slipped out into the hallway behind the blond man.

"But what?"

Hisoka tapped him on the back.

**XXX**

"They are so cruel!" Watari whined at an uncaring Tatsumi.

"I'm trying to work here Watari-san, do you mind?" Tatsumi gestured to his desk that Watari seemed to have mistaken for a chair.

"They're probably still laughing at me!

Tatsumi sighed and gave up. "It's late. I suppose we should go home and get some sleep. I assume Tsuzuki's staying?"

Watari nodded, showing no inclination of getting off the desk. "He'll stay."

Tatsumi stood up and got his jacket. Then he turned to the blond. "Have you eaten anything?

Watari had to think about that for a minute. "Um, no not since lunch."

"Would you like to come out and have some dinner with me?"

"Sure!" Watari beamed.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki was snoring.

Smiling faintly, Hisoka looked over to where his partner was sleeping, curled up in the bed next to his. The warm presence was comforting, but he still wasn't going to sleep. He didn't want to dream, he was sure it would be dark.

Hisoka started counting the holes in the ceiling tiles for the second time that night.


	7. Chapter 7

For a moment I wasn't sure I was going to get this chapter done over the weekend. (I don't have much time to write during the week) But I did it! Yay me!

My thanks to those who reviewed, and to those who didn't.

I still don't own anything. I need more pocky.

Um, please don't kill me!

**Chapter 7**

Sitting on a couch in Tatsumi's office, Hisoka was getting ready to commit mayhem on his colleagues. Watari was on the top of his hit list; After all it was the scientist who had decreed that Hisoka was not to be left alone. For two whole days he, Tsuzuki and Tatsumi (AKA number two and three on the hit list) had been following him around closer than his shadow. Although with Tatsumi around his shadow may have been watching him too. He supposed he should be happy that they still let him go to the bathroom by himself! Burying his face in the book he was pretending to read, Hisoka tried to forget the fact that he was being treated like a child in need of a babysitter. He nearly growled at the thought. He hated being so dependant on others, so weak. A wave of depression hit him and he slumped further into the couch he was sitting on.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

Hisoka looked up from his book to meet Tatsumi's eyes briefly. "I'm fine." He lied, hiding once more behind his book.

Tatsumi frowned, his intense gaze on his co-worker, then retuned to his work. He was once again going through police reports looking for any unsolved murders with a victim matching the description Hisoka had given him. So far he'd had no luck.

He sighed in frustration and pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. If they could find out where Muraki had been, they would have a place to start looking for him, rather than looking randomly for any mention of the homicidal doctor as the Gushoshin twins were doing now.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki stood at the door of the library, his way effectively barred by Gushoshin the younger.

"Look, I know that Tatsumi's got you guys researching Muraki's whereabouts. I can help! Please? I won't hurt anything! Just let me come in!"

"No!" Gushoshin puffed up "you are banned from the library and you will stay out for our own good. Besides, what makes you think you would have more success in hunting him down than we will?"

"Personal experience."

That made Gushoshin think for a moment.

"Please Gushoshin, I need to help."

Gushoshin sighed "Alright, but if anything gets damaged," He glared at Tsuzuki, trying to look as intimidating as it is possible for a flying chicken in a blue cap to look, "Anything, you will be our slave for life."

Tsuzuki nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, I'll be good, let's go!"

**XXX**

"Hey!" Watari walked into Tatsumi's office, all smiles and good cheer, it was the only thing he had to counter the 'I'm going to get you' glares Hisoka kept shooting him. Like the one he was shooting him over the top of his book right now. "Anybody hungry? Lunch was a while ago, and I didn't see you two in the break room."

Tatsumi barely looked up from the spread of papers across his desk. "No, I'm fine."

"Bon?"

"Sure." Hisoka put his book down. He wasn't particularly hungry, but he'd been in the office for quite a while, and a chance to stretch his legs sounded good. Getting up, he strode out of the room past Watari and started down the hall.

Watari stared after him for a moment. "Hey! Wait for me!" Pulling Tatsumi's door shut behind him, he hurried to catch up.

Hisoka picked up his pace, hoping that the blond would give him some space when he felt the familiar prickling across his back.

He kept walking, as around him a busy street materialized. Stores, traffic, street signs, Hisoka willed himself to look up and see the names of the streets, anything to tell him where he was, but the person whose eyes he saw through carefully avoided looking at anything that would give him a clue.

People were all around him, going every which way, it was like seeing an image projected over reality and he experienced the same sense of vertigo that he had felt during the last vision. He resisted the urge to close his eyes. He could still see the hallway in Ju On Chou that he was walking down, and with a severe effort in concentration he managed to turn a corner while in the other reality he continued walking straight ahead.

'I thought you might enjoy the hunt' an amused voice in the back of his mind informed him.

Hisoka felt his head turn, and his gaze paned over the people around him while the hallway in Ju On Chou remained straight ahead of him. The resulting confusion threatened his balance and he stumbled.

"Bon?" Watari's voice sounded miles away

A large building appeared on his right, a school? There were students strolling over the grounds. Then he was looking at a boy in his teens, sitting alone under a tree with a book open in his lap. He had light brown hair, long enough to brush his shoulders and lightly tanned skin.

"Excuse me, could you tell me what time classes let out for the day?" Hisoka felt his lips move but the voice that addressed the youth was Muraki's.

The young man looked up. His eyes were an odd shade of grey-blue, and his features were delicate, almost feminine. He smiled warmly at the person in front of him.

'This one' the voice in the back of Hisoka head sounded.

"Um, classes let out at 4:30"

"Thank you." Muraki's voice said, and he turned and walked away.

'Sunset buoya.'

The alternate reality around Hisoka faded away leaving only the hallway of Ju On Chou stretching ahead of him. He stopped walking and whirled around, almost toppling Watari who was right behind him. Hisoka grabbed Watari's forearms.

"Watari, we've got to……." was all he managed to get out before he lost consciousness.

Watari caught Hisoka's sagging body, crying out for Tatsumi and Tsuzuki.

**XXX**

"Can't you wake him up?" Tatsumi demanded as he paced the length of the infirmary. "We need to know what he saw, right now if possible! We've waited long enough."

Tsuzuki flinched at the irritation in Tatsumi's voice, but Watari seemed impervious. "He'll wake up when he's ready and not before. There's no point rushing it, we may do him more harm than good."

"What happened Watari?" Tsuzuki asked softly. He was sitting on the bed beside Hisoka, occasionally running fingers over his partners' hair.

Watari frowned. "I'm not really sure. We were walking to the break room, when he suddenly turned and grabbed my arms. He said we have to do something, but he didn't say what before he passed out."

"We have to find the boy." Hisoka's voice was quiet, but still enough to make the other three men jump.

Tatsumi strode over to the side of the bed opposite Tsuzuki. "What boy Kurosaki-kun?" He asked.

Hisoka sat up in the bed. "He was my age, or maybe a year older, his hair was light brown, about this long," He held his hand up just above his shoulder. "And he had a bit of a tan. He was sitting in front of a school. I, I mean Muraki asked him what time classes were over."

"Is there anything else you can tell us Kurosaki-kun?"

Hisoka shook his head. "He didn't look at anything that might tell me where we were." Hisoka sighed in frustration, raking his finger through his hair. "And it wasn't anyplace I recognized."

Suddenly Hisoka looked up. "What time is it? How long was I out?" He grabbed Tsuzuki's right wrist and half dragged the man across his lap trying to get a look at his watch.

"Hey!" Tsuzuki cried out at his sudden change in position.

"Hey!" Watari cried out in surprise and sympathy.

Tatsumi seemed unfazed. He checked his own watch. "It's almost 5:00, you were out for a couple of hours."

Hisoka released the wrist, much to Tsuzuki's relief. "We only have until sunset. That's when Muraki's planning to kill him!" Hisoka pushed the covers off of himself, and gave Tsuzuki a little push to move him so he could get out of the bed.

Tsuzuki stood up. "That only gives up about three hours to find this kid."

"And we have nothing to work with." Watari pointed out.

"We have a description. C'mon Hisoka."

"Where?"

"The library, we'll get the Gushoshin to call up yearbooks, class pictures and we'll start going through them. We'll start with schools in the Kyushu region."

Tatsumi frowned. "Do you know how many schools that is? It's a very long shot."

"I know, but it's the only shot we've got. I can't think of anything else."

**XXX**

"Are you sure?"

Hisoka nodded in answer to Tsuzuki's question. "Aa. That's him." Looking at those same grey-blue eyes, Hisoka felt a tiny ray of hope. Maybe they'd be able to save him. He read the name under the picture on the computer screen, Higami Saeki. They could get an address, a location, they could find him.

"We only have 45 minutes" Tsuzuki said checking his watch, "Print that out and let's get going."

Hisoka hit a few keys and the printer began to hum.

"Tsuzuki…."

"Hm?"

"If Tatsumi doesn't give you a bonus for this, I'll shoot him for you."

**XXX**

Watari was going to have a nervous breakdown, he just knew it. Between waiting for word from Tatsumi and Tsuzuki, and the glares that he was constantly receiving from Hisoka, (which were no longer the 'I'm going to get you' glares of before, but rather the death glares of doom that he normally reserved for Tsuzuki) Watari was becoming a nervous wreak.

Watching the sun lower to the horizon wasn't helping either. Each minute felt as though dragged out for days. Watari looked over at the sandy haired boy sitting near the corner of his lab, and dodged another glare.

"Look, Bon, I know you wanted to go…."

Hisoka snorted.

"But…" Watari stopped as he saw Hisoka tense. "Bon?"

"Oh no."

Hisoka's green eyes went unfocused and blank. Watari hurried over to where the youth sat and kneeling down waved his hand in front of his face, but got no reaction.

"Bon, can you here me?" Then a little louder. "Bon!"

Slowly Hisoka's head turned towards him. "Yes." His voice was a flat monotone.

"Can you see me?"

"Yes."

"What else can you see?"

"I'm…….cutting………..no……….don't……." Finally an emotion crept into Hisoka's voice. Desperation.

"I can't…….."

Watari was beginning to feel sick. "Bon, can you get out?"

"No….please……..help….."

Watari's stomach clenched at the plea, but he didn't know what he could do.

For several more minutes there was silence, then Hisoka's eyes widened. "Tsuzuki…."

"Are they there? Bon what do you see?"

But Hisoka collapsed forward onto the blond and started to sob.

"They were too late."


	8. Chapter 8

Well, I guess this is proof you can't keep a good nut down, 'cause I'm still here!

My continuing thanks to those who have read, and especially those who have reviewed.

Hugs for everyone!

**Chapter 8**

Watari looked up as Tsuzuki and Tatsumi entered the break room. Tsuzuki was pale, his features pinched and strained. Tatsumi didn't look much better.

"We found him." Tsuzuki said softly, "But Muraki killed him before we could reach them." His eyes hardened. "The bastard waved at us."

Watari flinched. "I know."

"Where's Kurosaki-kun?" Tatsumi asked looking around the room.

"He left." Watari let his head fall down on his arms. "He said he wanted to be alone for a while and left."

Tatsumi's eyes narrowed "And you let him go?"

"Where did he go?" Tsuzuki added.

"Home, he went home. I didn't stop him. There wasn't anything I could do." Watari's voice sounded hollow to the other two men, and Tatsumi placed an arm around him. Watari leaned against the shadow master, accepting the comforting gesture.

"I'm going to go see how he's doing." Tsuzuki turned to leave the room.

"You should. I was no help." Watari said sadly.

Tsuzuki left.

"Was it that bad?" Tatsumi asked wiping a stray tear off the blonde's cheek.

"Worse. You?"

Tatsumi grimaced. "The same."

**XXX**

Hisoka lay on the couch in his apartment staring at the ceiling. There seemed to be a lot of ceiling staring going on in his life recently he thought ruefully. He was trying hard to keep his mind blank, to not think about the people he had watched die. He tried especially hard not to think about the fact that Muraki only killed them to 'entertain' him. He wanted to go to sleep. He was wondering if he even wanted to wake up again.

He could feel the person coming before he heard the knock at the door. "Go away Tsuzuki."

"Hisoka? Are you alright?"

Hisoka didn't even bother moving from the sofa. "I'm fine, just……….go home."

"Are you sure?"

"Hai. I'll see you at work tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll see you then."

Hisoka closed his eyes tight and buried his face in the crook of his arm. For once he prayed for darkness.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki stood outside his partner's door for several minutes before turning to leave. He hated that Hisoka wouldn't let him in, he wanted to comfort the boy, like Tatsumi was comforting Watari. And he wanted to be comforted.

They had been so close! He and Tatsumi had found Higami-san's home in record time. When he wasn't there they got directions to his school were they learned that he had left after classes in the company of a strange man. The girls they talked to had giggled and blushed when describing the stranger.

From there he and Tatsumi had tracked the pair all over town. An arcade, a small local restaurant, a nearby park, and there the trail seemed to die. They had floundered for a short while, until a child in the park had point to a nearby warehouse and told them the couple had gone that way.

With wings on their heel they had sprinted to the warehouse, Tatsumi's shadows scouting ahead. "They're inside!" Tatsumi had told him between panting breaths as they reached the deserted looking building.

Without a pause to consider the risks, they had rushed inside, just in time to see Muraki drop the battered, bleeding body on the concrete floor, and see the boy's eyes close for the last time.

Outside the sun had sunk below the horizon.

Muraki had smiled at them and waved. The sick bastard had actually given them a friendly wave before vanishing.

Tsuzuki looked around him. He was almost home, he hadn't even noticed he'd been walking. He stopped and sat heavily on the curb lowering his head into his hands. In the end, he hadn't saved the boy, and he had failed Hisoka so badly.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki was living in an advanced state of agitation. Hisoka hadn't come into work at all.

Tsuzuki spent the day watching the clock and filling out the odd report. By the time the work day was nearing its end, he had a small pile of completed papers in front of him. He jumped when he felt a hand land on his sholder.

"You should try to relax Tsuzuki-san."

"I can't. This whole situation, Muraki, I just can't"

"I called Kurosaki-kun this morning and he was fine, and you know he'd call if he needed us."

Tsuzuki knew that Tatsumi had talked to Hisoka earlier, but it wasn't enough to ease his mind.

Tatsumi sighed and gave an odd little half smile. "Why don't you head out early today? Go see him if you feel you must."

"Sank-you Tatsumi!" Tsuzuki jumped up and ran out of the room.

Tatsumi shook his head, still smiling. He picked up the reports from Tsuzuki's desk and paged through them. The smile died on his face. There were almost a dozen pages there, and he could barely make out half a dozen words. He carried the reports with him to his office wishing he had a Tsuzuki to Japanese dictionary.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki stepped out of the elevator at Hisoka's floor. He could hear the sound of breaking glass and Hisoka's voice yelling from down the hallway. He ran to the door and turned the knob. The door opened and Tsuzuki burst inside, only to stop dead. Hisoka was alone. Tsuzuki could see him in his kitchen, systematically destroying every piece of glassware he could reach. Throwing glasses, bowls, and plates across the room to shatter against the wall, floor, or whatever else stood in the way, almost screaming his anger and desperation at the empty apartment.

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!…….."

Tsuzuki watched as the pile of broken glass on the floor grew. Then without warning it stopped. Only the sound of Hisoka's heavy breathing echoed through the apartment as he slumped against the counter. Tsuzuki took a step forward and paused. Hisoka pushed himself upright and made his way out of the kitchen, not noticing the broken glass that cut his bare feet, or the bloody footprints he left behind him.

He didn't notice Tsuzuki standing by his door either. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. After a short while, he spoke.

"There's been another one." A pause….

"A little girl, she couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen. Her name was Nuraski Miyu" Another pause.

"He asked her before he….." Hisoka rubbed his forehead.

"No."

Tsuzuki tensed suddenly without knowing why.

"Then he's won damnit!" Hisoka's voice rose and he was shouting again "Do you hear me! He's won! Because I can't take this anymore, I can't! No more! "Hisoka threw the phone across the room. "I CAN'T! I WON'T! I…." He collapsed, sobbing into the carpet.

Tsuzuki ran forward and gathered the shaking form into his arms, holding him tightly. Hisoka fought him, beating against his chest with his fists, trying to pull free. Then with a hoarse cry he buried his face in the older man's shirt and clung to him. The sound of rushing feet made Tsuzuki look up and he saw Tatsumi hurry into the room.

"Kurosaki-Kun?" Tatsumi looked around, his blue eyes taking in the devastation of the kitchen, the phone lying on the floor on the far side of the room, and finally came to rest on Tsuzuki cradling Hisoka in his arms.

"Is he alright?"

Tsuzuki looked down at the face etched with pain and shook his head. "No, I don't think he is."

**XXX**

Hisoka sat quietly in the infirmary as Watari looked him over and removed some large splinters of glass from his feet. Working in an uncharacteristic silence, Watari rapped bandages around the cuts, the deepest of which were still bleeding. Finished, he stood up and brushed his hands on his pants. Taking a deep breath, he finally broke the quiet.

"Bon? Could you lie down? I'd like to check your back."

Obediently Hisoka lay down on the bed, on his stomach. Watari lifted his shirt high enough to expose the marks on his back. Gently running his hand across them he peered closely, then nodded to himself and pulled the shirt back down. "Okay Bon, you should try to get some rest."

Hisoka closed his eyes without changing position, and Watari frowned. He looked to Tsuzuki who sat on the bed, then to Tatsumi who leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Has he said anything to either of you?"

Tatsumi shook his head "Not since he called me."

Watari looked at Tsuzuki who also shook his head.

"That's not like Bon." Watari swiped at some stray blond strands that had fallen into his face. "When he wakes up, see if you can get him to talk to you" he said looking at Tsuzuki.

Tsuzuki nodded and stretched out on the bed next to his partner, leaning against the headboard.

Watari left the room with Tatsumi following behind him. As soon as the door closed behind them Watari turned and threw his arms around the startled secretary.

"Wha..?"

"It's great! I want to watch for a little longer first, but I'm almost positive!"

"About what?"

"Those marks on Bon's back! I think they've finally begun to heal!"

"So it's over?"

Watari pulled back. "No, not yet. They'll still take a while to heal, but if Bon can hang on for a while longer.." Watari let his statement hang in the air.

**XXX**

He walking through a wooded area, the shadows stretching our as twilight fell. It was pretty and Hisoka actually thought for a moment that he was having a pleasant dream, until _that_ voice sounded in the back of his mind.

'I think I'll let you pick the victim this time.'

Hisoka struggled to wake up, pull away, anything, but he was one more a prisoner in a body he couldn't control. Utter hopelessness settled on him and he felt a chuckle pass his lips.

'Giving up already bouya?'

He scanned the people around him and Hisoka saw that he was in a park. Over to his left was a small playground where a few older children still played. There were some teenagers and adults wondering around enjoying the evening. His gaze passed over a dark haired youth crouched on the path tying his shoe. There was a case on the ground next to him. Something about the case tickled the back of Hisoka's mind. Muraki noticed and his attention was drawn back to the youth.

The young man looked up as if he could feel the gaze upon him.

Hisoka looked into emerald green eyes almost identical to his own.

_Minase Hijiri_.

NO!

Hisoka felt his mouth turn up in a smile.

'Oh yes.' The voice in his mind confirmed. 'He looks just like you; would it be like watching your own murder?'

Before him, Hijiri stood up. Uncomfortable with the intense focus he seemed to be receiving from this stranger in white.

"Excuse me, can I help you?"

Hisoka could feel the nervousness coming from Hijiri, and in a state of pure panic he pushed at Muraki with his empathy. He felt the body around him stumble and Muraki growled.

Hijiri grabbed his violin case and beat a hasty retreat at receiving this strange reaction to his question.

'Don't worry bouya," Muraki's voice promised 'I'll find him again.'


	9. Chapter 9

Hi! I worked my butt off to get this chapter done before I went away. It jumps back and forth quite a bit, so I hope it's not too confusing.

Thank to reviewers, readers and everyone! Merry Christmas!

Enjoy!

**Chapter 9**

Emerald green eyes opened to a room tinted red by twilight.

Hisoka rolled over forcefully in the bed and collided with something warm, and that something warm was bumped off the bed and collided with the floor.

"Ouff!"

Amethyst eyes flew open in shock and confusion. Tsuzuki found himself flat on his back on the hard floor trying to regain the breath that had been knocked out of him.

A blonde head peered over the edge of the bed

"Tsuzuki! Get up! We have to go."

"Go? Go where?" Tsuzuki wheezed. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head "Ouch!"

In a flurry of motion Hisoka extracted himself from the bed and grabbed his partner, hauling him to his feet.

"We have to go now!" He was pulling at Tsuzuki's shirt dragging him towards the door. "Do you know where we can find Hijiri?"

"Hijiri? Hisoka what…"

"There's no time! Do you know where to find Hijiri? Yes or no."

"Well yes, of course but why…"

"Muraki saw him in a park. He's picked him as his next victim." He was yanking even harder on the shirt, "Tsuzuki _please."_

Tsuzuki finally caught Hisoka's panic and the two shinigami hurried from the room.

They went straight to Tatsumi's office and knocked on the door. When they received no answer, Hisoka tried the knob. The door was open, but the secretary was absent.

"Hijiri was still living in the same apartment last time I checked." Tsuzuki informed the younger man as they walked briskly down the hallway away from Tatsumi's office. "I can head down there now, He should be home at this time of night. You stay here and get a hold of Tatsumi, let him know what's happening."

Hisoka frowned. "No, you can't go by yourself. Shinigami are supposed to travel in pairs, I should go with you."

Tsuzuki shook his head. "You can't. Someone has to be here to let the others know what's going on." Hisoka looked like he was going to say something else, but Tsuzuki went on. "Besides, if Muraki pulls you into his vision again you won't be in a position to defend yourself."

Hisoka glared, he didn't want to admit it, but he knew his partner was right.

"I want you to stay here where you won't be hurt."

A bitter smile formed on Hisoka's lips. Staying in Meifu would not keep him from being hurt. Definitely not.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki materialized on Chiju right before Hijiri's door and rang the bell. It was getting late and he hoped he wasn't waking the boy up. The door opened and Tsuzuki found himself looking into green eyes that lit up with surprise and pleasure at the sight of him. For a fleeting moment he wished he could bring that expression to another set of green eyes.

"Tsuzuki! What are you…..Oh wow!" Hijiri stepped forwards and threw his arms around the older man's neck. "It's so good to see you!"

"Hello Hijiri." Tsuzuki said returning the hug.

Hijiri caught the serious note in Tsuzuki's voice. He pulled back. "I take it that this is not a social call."

Tsuzuki shook his head. "Come inside." Hijiri led the way into his apartment. Tsuzuki pulled the door shut behind him and took the seat that Hijiri gestured to. "Where's Hisoka."

"He's still is Meifu. Hijiri, did you see a man dressed in white today? With platinum hair?"

Hijiri started. "Actually, I did. I nearly killed myself tripping over a broken lace, so I stopped to fix my shoe. When I looked up that man was standing there staring at me like I had two heads. When I asked him if I could help him, he growled at me. I decided to get out of there before he got any weirder."

Tsuzuki nodded. "His name is Muraki Kazutaka. Hisoka and I have had run ins with him before. He is a murderer and he has targeted you as his next victim."

"Why?" Hijiri asked.

"Probably because of your resemblance to Hisoka."

"My resemblance….but why would that make me his target?"

"That man, he, well he's the one who killed Hisoka."

"Oh." Hijiri looked away for a moment.

"Hijiri, I would like you to come back to Meifu with me for a while. Muraki is very dangerous and we don't know everything he is capable of."

"I can't" Hijiri looked back up at Tsuzuki, his eyes wide. "I have a rehearsal first thing in the morning and tomorrow evening I'm performing in a charity concert. There's no way I can back out!"

Tsuzuki sighed. Hadn't they done this before? "Alright. But I'm staying right here with you. We know that Muraki is looking for you."

Hijiri nodded and grinned. "My couch is yours."

**XXX**

Tatsumi arrived at work early, as usual. He stopped at the break room and put on a pot of coffee. He walked down to the infirmary to peek in at Tsuzuki and Hisoka while he waited for it to brew. The infirmary was empty.

Back in the break room, Tatsumi poured himself a cup of the fresh coffee as he wondered where the pair had disappeared to. It was too early in the morning for Tsuzuki to even be up, let alone out and about.

Entering his office he set his coffee down on his desk, sat down and picked up a stack of papers. He looked up reaching for the coffee cup, but his hand stilled when his gaze fell upon his couch.

Tatsumi got up from his desk and crossed the room. He knelt down beside the couch and gently brushed a strand of blonde hair away from closed eyes.

Hisoka was curled up on his couch, fast asleep. For a moment Tatsumi was tempted to just let him sleep, he knew the boy needed it, but his presence in his office brought up too many questions. The main one being where was Tsuzuki? Tatsumi couldn't think of anything that would have dragged the man away from his partner after the events of the day before.

Gently he shook Hisoka. "Kurosaki-kun? Wake up."

Hisoka blinked sleepily, "Tat-Tatsumi-san? What?" Then Hisoka's brain kicked in and his eyes widened. "I fell asleep!"

"You probably needed it. Where's Tsuzuki?"

Hisoka sat up. "He's on Chiju with Hijiri."

"Hijiri? Mianse Hijiri?"

"Hai. Muraki saw him and…."

"Isn't he the one who looks like you?"

"He's next Tatsumi-san, Muraki's going to kill him next and Tsuzuki went to protect him. I tried to contact you, but I couldn't find you. I couldn't get a hold of Watari-san either. And I didn't know how to contact Kanoe after hours."

"You mean Tsuzuki's on Chiju alone?"

"Hai."

"Alright." Tatsumi said standing up. "I'll go and let Kanoe know what's going on, and then I'll head down to Chiju to join Tsuzuki. You will need to inform Watari of the situation when he arrives."

**XXX**

Tsuzuki sat in the large almost empty concert hall. He leaned back in his seat and let out a huge yawn. He hadn't got a lot of sleep during the night. He kept expecting someone to show up, Muraki, Tatsumi, Watari, anyone, but noone had and Tsuzuki had fallen into a deep sleep sometime around dawn. Hijiri had shaken him awake early with dire threats of missing breakfast to go to the rehearsal.

Tsuzuki had thought of leaving a note for whoever came to back him up, but thought better of it. If he put their location in a note he may just as well write 'come and get us' on the door.

His eyes drifted to the stage where Hijiri was rehearsing his piece for the concert. Tsuzuki smiled. With his violin tucked under his chin and his body swaying gracefully in time to the music Hijiri looked almost angelic. Tsuzuki's smile widened, but he was no Hisoka.

**XXX**

Tatsumi stood at the door of Hijiri's apartment, knocking for a second time he waited patiently. Meeting with Kanoe had taken longer than he anticipated and now Tatsumi felt pressed for time. After a few minutes without an answer Tatsumi tried the door. The knob turned smoothly and the door swung inwards. Tatsumi's eyes widened in horror. Hijiri's apartment looked as if a cyclone had hit it.

"Tsuzuki-san? Mianse-kun?"

The apartment felt empty, and a quick look around assured him that those he sought were not there. The sheer violence inflicted on the apartment worried him. In the center of the mess there was a piece of paper lying on the floor. Tatsumi picked it up and looked at it, then folded it and put it in his pocket.

He needed to report back to Enmacho, to see if Tsuzuki had reported in.

He left the apartment saying a quick prayer to Enma-Dia-Oh that Tsuzuki and Hijiri had not been there when Muraki had arrived.

**XXX**

Tsuzuki stood in the green room of the concert hall with Hijiri.

"So the rehearsal is finished. Shall we get going?"

"Sorry Tsuzuki, I can't. I have to help set up for the concert."

"Hijiri…."

"Tsuzuki, this is a charity concert. They are making no money on this. All the work is being done by the performers who have volunteered their time."

Tsuzuki sighed heavily. Part of him knew he should report to Meifu, but a larger part of him was unwilling to leave Hijiri alone for any amount of time.

**XXX**

"Why hasn't that dufus reported in?" Watari ranted as he paced the length of his lab. He flashed a quick look at Hisoka who sat curled up in a nearby chair. "Bon, you okay?"

Hisoka looked up briefly and after a moment shrugged.

Watari frowned. He didn't like the way that Hisoka seemed to be withdrawing from the people around him. He could be wrong, but he still wanted a verbal response. "Say something."

"I've been better." Hisoka said, keeping his eyes downcast. Watari rewarded his effort with a small smile. He'd take what he could get.

He was about to attempt to elicit more speech from the sullen youth when Tatsumi came into the room, alone.

"Where's Tsuzuki?" Watari demanded.

"I don't know. Neither he nor Mianse-kun were at the apartment when I got there, and the apartment has been vandalized."

Watari drew in his breath sharply.

"They're okay." Hisoka said softly from were he sat. "If Muraki had them, I'd have had a front row view."

Tatsumi walked over to Hisoka. "Kurosaki-kun, I think the best way for us to find Tsuzuki-san is for you to come to Chiju with me and track him with your empathy." Hisoka nodded.

Watari was shaking his head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Tatsumi asked.

"All of the visions Bon's had he's had while here in Meifu. If he were to have one while on Chiju, the proximity to Muraki would probably make the experience much more intense."

"It doesn't matter." Hisoka said. "If Muraki knows where Hijiri's apartment is, he'll be watching it for their return. We have to find them before they go back there."

"And if we don't find them?" Watari asked.

"Then at least we know where they'll be this evening." Tatsumi pulled a paper from his pocket and handed it to Watari. It was an invitation to a charity concert featuring a solo performance by Mianse Hijiri.

**XXX**

The trio spent most of the day staking out Hijiri's apartment. Hisoka's empathy would tell them if Tsuzuki and Hijiri were coming before Muraki would have a chance to know.

"The concert should be starting about now. We better get going. It's probably safe to assume that there already there." Tatsumi started off at brisk walk. Watari and Hisoka followed, but having the shortest legs, Hisoka soon found himself falling behind.

Hisoka stopped walking as a sharp pain lanced across his back. His head throbbed and the world blurred. 'Watari was right about it being more intense' he thought. He gripped his head in his hands and tried to stay on his feet. Another reality swam into existence around him, overlapping the reality around him.

Watari noticed that Hisoka was lagging behind and turned to see what was keeping the boy turned back. He saw Hisoka stagger and moved to help him.

"Tatsumi, wait a minute!"

Tatsumi looked over his shoulder and saw the difficulty the youth was having and came back. "Kurosaki-kun, what do you see?"

Wide vacant green eyes slowly rose to look at Tatsumi.

"There are people dressed up in formal clothes……"

"He must be at the concert." Watari summarized.

Tatsumi nodded. "Can you walk Kurosaki-kun?"

Hisoka didn't answer, but started to put one foot in front of the other. With Watari one side of him and Tatsumi on the other helping to guide him, the three found a secluded place from which to teleport to the concert hall.

They arrived still some distance away, there were too many people around for them to arrive closer and Hisoka was having problems concentrating on what was around him.

Tatsumi looked over his companions. "Watari-san, you stay here with Kurosaki-kun. I'm going to go inside and look for Tsuzuki."

"But…" Watari began, but Tatsumi cut him off.

"It seems to be formal dress." Tatsumi gestured to the elegantly dressed people entering the hall. "I'm the only one of us that they may allow inside." He turned and headed for the entrance. After a lengthy conversation with a doorman, he went inside.

Watari led Hisoka back between two buildings so they were out of sight. The time passed slowly until Watari's attention was once again claimed by the youth beside him.

"Bon!"

Hisoka had begun to shake as if he were about to fly apart. He opened his mouth and said one word, his voice filled with dread.

"Tsuzuki….."

**XXX**

The growing crowd in the concert hall worried Tsuzuki. The event co-coordinator had come and swept the young man away to meet some of the sponsors before the concert began. Although Tsuzuki had tried to stay with him, they had been separated by the crush of people. He tried to make his way to Hijiri, but bodies kept getting in his way and obscuring his view of the youth. Tsuzuki cursed under his breath. He wanted nothing more than this to be over, and the two of them safely back in Meifu.

Tsuzuki struggled between men in tuxedos and ladies in long gowns, looking very much out of place in his long trenchcoat. He finally got to the spot where he had last seen Hijiri, but the boy was no longer there. He looked around, frantic for Hijiri's safety when a hand fell on his shoulder.

"Tsuzuki……"


	10. Chapter 10

Another week, another chapter. Yay me! I am surprised that I have been keeping up to my self imposed schedule. Especially since I have started a second fic, but I won't post any of it until I finish this one.

My continued love to everyone who reads this, especially those who review.

**Chapter 10**

He was in a large room surrounded by elegant people. He smiled and returned greetings. He returned a wave from across the room and bowed slightly to a man in front of him. All the while his gaze scanned the room. He was looking for someone and he was afraid of what would happen when he found him.

At the same time he was also vaguely aware of being outside with two people he knew and trusted. They were on either side of him, helping him move. But it seemed far away, and the crowded room was so much more vivid.

"Sensei, Sensei!"

He turned towards the voice, a young woman was making her way towards him with a younger man in tow.

"Sensei, this is Mianse Hijiri, one of the best young violists in Japan. Mianse-kun, this is Muraki Kazutaka, he is making a rather large donation to our cause."

Wide green eyes looked up at him. He could both see and feel the fear coming from the youth, and he felt a similar fear tearing at the edges of his mind.

Somewhere far away a companion left, and the one remaining pulled him into shadows.

He smiled and made a small bow to the youth, then noticed a familiar face in the crowd behind him. The smile on his face grew even wider.

"If you'll excuse me." He said, giving the boy a long look. Then headed through the crowd, heading to where he had seen that face. His fear was increasing with every step.

There he was, the man in the long coat, look around, his head whipping back and forth.

He stepped up behind the man and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Tsuzuki."

The man stilled, then slowly turned to face him and he looked into those well known amethysts eyes.

"Muraki."

'Get away Tsuzuki!' he thought desperately, but he felt something travel down his arm to the man's shoulder, and those wonderful eyes went dull. The man's entire body sagged. He caught the man before his body could sink to the floor. Pulling the man's arm across his shoulders, he supported him by an arm around his waist and began to make his way to the doors.

'No, this can't be happening, he cannot take Tsuzuki away,' he thought, 'not again!'

'NOT AGAIN!'

Hisoka reached out, and with every ounce of determination he possessed, every emotion he felt for his partner, he pushed at Muraki.

He pushed _into _Muraki.

Hisoka had to struggle to keep from drowning in Muraki's darkness, but he held on, and lowered the figure he was supporting to his knees.

"Tsuzuki!" He gave him a shake, and was relieved to see awareness return to the man's eyes. "You need to get out of here!"

Tsuzuki's eyes widened. "Muraki…"

"Please Tsuzuki, I can't do this very long." Already he could feel Muraki's mind pushing against him.

Tsuzuki got to his feet, confusion clouding his mind. "Hisoka?" He whispered.

"Go find Tatsumi, he's here somewhere, get Hijiri, and get out." Hisoka turned and quickly walked out the doors.

He went down the stairs and saw Watari running toward the building carrying….himself? Muraki pushed hard against him and he fought to maintain control.

He ran down to the road and threw himself into a waiting cab. "I will pay you triple fare if you drive me all the way to Aomori."

The driver looked at him. "Are you nuts?"

"Just drive."

The driver shrugged and pulled the cab out into traffic.

Hisoka's control was slipping. Muraki was battering at his mind now, trying to force him out. Darkness collected at the edge of his vision, and he found he was no longer able to force it away. Darkness swallowed him.

**XXX**

"Tsuzuki?"

Tsuzuki turned from the doors towards the familiar voice.

"Tatsumi?" He gave himself a mental shake. What the hell had just happened?

"Was that Muraki who just left?" Tatsumi asked.

Tsuzuki looked back towards the doors. "Um….."

"Tsuzuki?" Tatsumi place a hand on his arm. "Are you alright?"

"Aa, I'm fine." But he didn't look away from the doors.

Both men's attention became riveted to the doors as another familiar voice rose in anger.

"God damnit, either let me in, or go get my friends to come out here!"

"Sir, would you like me to call an ambulance?"

Tatsumi moved past Tsuzuki and opened the doors.

"No I don't want you to call an ambulance, I want you to help me find my friends so I can take him home!"

Tsuzuki stepped up behind Tatsumi. Watari was yelling into the face of one of the doormen who was effectively blocking his path. The doorman didn't seem upset by the yelling, but he kept shooting concerned looks at the pale boy in the man's arms.

"Tsuzuki," Tatsumi leaned close to the other man. "Is there a back entrance? A stage door maybe?"

Tsuzuki nodded.

"Good. Go collect Mianse-kun and meet us there."

Tatsumi stepped outside the building and went to join his partner.

"Watari?"

The blonde scientist turned towards him, the relief evident in his face. "We have to get back." He nodded at Hisoka's unconscious form. "Did you find Tsuzuki?'

"Hai. Let's go." He turned to the doorman. "Thank you for your assistance."

Taking Hisoka from Watari's arms, Tatsumi led the way around the building to the rear. They found a door marked 'stage crew only' and waited.

It only took a few minutes before the door was opened and Tsuzuki was gesturing them inside. He took in his partner's state and Watari's agitation. "What's wrong with him?"

Watari shook his head. "I don't know. We were waiting for Tatsumi to come back. Bon was having a vision when his eyes rolled back and he collapsed. I need to get him back to Meifu so I can figure out what's wrong."

"Where's Mianse-kun?" Tatsumi asked.

"He'll meet us in the dressing room in a few minutes. This way." Tsuzuki led them down a short hall to a small dressing room. Inside there was a dressing table, chair, and a small couch. Tatsumi deposited Hisoka on the latter. Tsuzuki moved to look down on his partner.

"Ne, Watari?"

"Hai?"

"For just a moment, I thought Muraki was Hisoka. Right before he left, he told me to find Tatsumi and Hijiri and leave."

"Uh oh."

"What?" Tsuzuki turned to face the blonde.

"Well, Muraki created a link between himself and Bon so Bon could see what he does, but if Bon found a way to use that link, he could conceivably go into Muraki's mind."

"And I take it that's bad." Tatsumi said from the doorway.

"That's all sorts of bad." Watari ran his hand through his hair. "He could get lost in Muraki's mind, or if Muraki's mind is stronger than Bon's, he could trap him there. We'd never be able to get him back. Even if he got out, he may lose something of himself and would no longer be the Bon we knew."

Tsuzuki paled. "You mean…..but Hisoka….he can't…"

Tatsumi flashed Watari a dirty look. "I'm sure Kurosaki-kun will be fine."

"Why? What's wrong with him?" All faces turned to where Hijiri stood at the door.

"That's what we need to find out." Tatsumi led Hijiri into the room. "Is everyone ready to go?" He received three nods.

A moment later the room was empty.

**XXX**

Hisoka was floating.

Just drifting. Not really awake, but not asleep either. He could hear voices and sometimes he could even make out the words, in the twilight of consciousness.

"…could lose something of himself…" What did he have to lose? It wasn't himself he was afraid of losing.

Time passed. A little or a lot he couldn't tell. Time seemed to have lost all definition.

"…find Muraki…"

"No!"

"…how much before he breaks?…" How could he break? He was already broken. That had happened along time ago. Now he traveled day to day just holding the pieces together.

"…getting better…"

"…over…" Nothing was ever really over.

"…come back…"

"…I hope he doesn't leave anything of himself behind…"

Hisoka drifted off into sleep.

**XXX**

Watari was practically seething. 003, sensing her master's mood flew circles around his head hooting loudly.

Shortly after returning to Enmacho, Tatsumi had gone in to report to Kanoe and he hadn't made reappearance yet. Which was unfortunate because Tsuzuki had taken it into his head to find Muraki on his own and had left for Chiju despite Watari's attempts to talk him out of it, or at least delay him till Tatsumi returned. He was sure that Tatsumi could have glared Tsuzuki into submission.

Watari left Hisoka under Hijiri's watchful eye with orders to call him if there was any change and went off in search of Tatsumi.

**XXX**

'Come to me'

He was standing at a railing looking out at the water. As he looked around he realized where he was. Nagasaki. He was standing in the same place where he had first met Muraki after he became a Shinigami.

'You will meet me here.' The voice in the back of his mind told him. 'You will tell no one and you will come alone.'

'Why in Enma's name would I want to do that?' Hisoka thought.

He found himself looking down to his right and was shocked to find there was a young boy, about six years old hanging onto his hand smiling up at him. To his left was a little girl, even younger than the boy. They were obviously brother and sister, and they where both looking up at him with trusting smiles. He felt himself return their smiles.

'Because if you don't, there will be quite a show.'

Hisoka seethed inwardly.

'Shall we say tomorrow evening then, at six?'


	11. Chapter 11

This is another fairly short chapter, gomen. Hopefully the next one will be longer, but no promises.

We are getting close to the end, another two or three chapters should finish it.

I hope people out there are actually enjoying this, and thanks to those who review to let me know they are.

Happy New Year!

**Chapter 11**

"He what?"

"He went to Chiju to look for Muraki. He said he had to stop him from doing anything else to hurt Bon."

"And you didn't stop him!"

"I tried!" Watari cried, frustration creeping into his voice. "I tried but he wasn't listening to me!"

"I apologize." Tatsumi said trying to calm the agitated blonde. "That was unfair. I know you couldn't have stopped him if he was truly determined."

Watari let out a bitter laugh. "I really did try."

**XXX**

Tsuzuki walked into the lobby of yet another hospital. He knew that Muraki had a practice in Tokyo, and it seemed to him that his best way of finding the man was through his work. This was the forth hospital he'd been to in the last hour, but luck was with him.

"Hai, we have a Dr. Muraki Kazutata on staff here. He's not in right now, but he will be tomorrow." The pretty nurse informed him.

"He's looking for Muraki Sensei?" Another nurse asked.

"Yes I am." Tsuzuki answered for her.

The second nurse gave him a sweet smile. "If you want to see him, you'll have to come in early in the morning. Muraki Sensei has cancelled all of his afternoon appointments. Apparently there is an urgent problem with one of his patients and he has to go to Nagasaki for a few days to take care of it."

Tsuzuki offered the nurses his thanks and left the hospital frowning. Muraki was going to Nagasaki? Why? Well at least he knew where to find the man. Tomorrow he would return and follow him. He wouldn't let Muraki kill anyone else. He wouldn't let him hurt Hisoka again.

**XXX**

Hisoka opened his eyes and looked around. He was in the infirmary, again. That was no big surprise, but the sight of Hijiri dozing lightly in a chair beside his bed was. Very carefully and quietly he climbed out of the bed and without disturbing the other boy, he slipped out of the room.

He made his way to Watari's lab and peeked inside, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw the scientist was not there. He went inside and closed the door behind him.

Moving to the back of the lab Hisoka started opening cupboards at random. He finally found one with dozens of vials inside and started going through them.

It took him almost ten minutes to find the one he was looking for. He had no idea what was in it, but Watari had once told him it was toxic. That was good enough for him. Pocketing the vial Hisoka left the lab.

Still avoiding being seen, Hisoka made his way to the office he shared with Tsuzuki. Grabbing a pen and paper he took a seat at his desk. It took him nearly half an hour and many tries to put the words he wanted to say on paper. In the end the note was so simple, but it was right.

Hisoka left Enma-cho like a thief in the night, no explanations, and no goodbyes.

**XXX**

Tatsumi and Watari were once again in the break room nursing coffees when Tsuzuki came into the room. Both men looked up expectantly.

"Well?" Tatsumi asked.

"I'm sorry Tatsumi," Tsuzuki began. "I know I should have waited, but…"

Tatsumi wave his hand dismissively. "Not that, did you find Muraki?"

Tsuzuki took a seat at the table. "No, but I found out where he's going to be tomorrow. He has appointments in the morning, and he's going to Nagasaki in the afternoon."

"Um hum, so what are you planning?"

"I'm going to follow him."

"Alone?" Tatsumi raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not going to confront him, I'm just going to watch. If I need backup I'll let you know."

"And what do I tell Bon when he wakes up?" Asked Watari. "I don't think I'll be able to keep him in bed if he knows you're on Chiju chasing after Muraki." The scientist sighed. "My track record of getting you guys to stay put is not phenomenal."

Tsuzuki gave him a small grin. "Tell him the truth,"

"I'd have to. He's an empath. He'd know if I was lying."

"And then sit on him."

Tatsumi snorted at that. "I'm sure that would go over well."

Watari's eyes widened. "He'd massacre me!"

"Nah," Tsuzuki reassured him. "You'd just have to dodge glares for a while."

"A year at least." Tatsumi interjected with a quirk of his lips.

"He's gone." Hijiri announced from the doorway.

"Who's gone?" Tsuzuki asked before the words had even registered.

No one answered. No one needed to.

The three men jumped to their feet and raced to the infirmary. Just as Hijiri had said, Hisoka was gone.

"What happened?" Watari asked nobody in particular.

"I don't know." Came Hijiri's voice from behind them. The trio turned to face him.

"I must have fallen asleep. I'm so sorry."

Watari went to the boy and placed a comforting arm around his shoulders. "It's okay, it's not your fault." Watari gave him a gentle squeeze. "On the upside, Hisoka's awake, that's something to be thankful for."

Tatsumi pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Now we just need to know where he is."

**XXX**

After making a brief stop Hisoka went back to his apartment and collected what money he had set aside for emergencies. He was glad he didn't spend much and he had saved quite a bit. Grabbing some clean clothes, he teleported to Chiju.

It took him a long while to find a hotel room that suited him. Quiet, out of the way and the people running it didn't question a sixteen year old boy staying alone.

While it would have been easier to stay in Meifu, Hisoka was pretty sure that Watari would not let him be left alone for any period of time, and he didn't think any of his co-workers would let him run off to meet Muraki alone if he explained the situation to them. He wanted to though. He knew they would try to help him, but there were two lives on the line. Until he knew what Muraki had done with the children, he would give the man what he wanted.

Hisoka curled up on a small bed in a cheap room and tried to get to sleep. He felt very alone.

He wished Tsuzuki was there.

**XXX**

After several hours of fruitless searching the three Shinigami converged in the break room.

"Nothing." Tatsumi reported.

Tsuzuki shook his head looking completely discouraged.

Watari sighed. "He's not anywhere in Meifu. So he must have gone to Chiju."

"But why?" Tsuzuki asked.

"We won't know that until we can ask him." Tatsumi rubbed his temples. "Alright, there's not much we can do at the moment. I suggest we get some sleep and in the morning Tsuzuki can start trailing Muraki. At lease then we'll know one place Kurosaki-kun isn't. Watari, you and I can continue to search for him from here."

Tsuzuki frowned, "I think we should keep looking, Hisoka could be in trouble, he could need us…"

Watari took Tsuzuki's and started leading him out of the room. "Bon will be alright," He said, praying it was true, "And you need to get some rest if you're going to be tailing Muraki all day tomorrow. C'mon, you can use one of the beds in the infirmary." He offered a small grin. "Keep Hijiri-kun company for a while."

Tsuzuki hesitated as if he was going to protest again, but Watari gave him a little tug and he went.

Tatsumi watched them leave and then headed towards his office. He didn't really intend to sleep. One of his colleagues was missing, and he fully intended to keep searching until he was found.

**XXX**

It had been a long and exhausting day.

Tsuzuki leaned against a tree. He had a good vantage point from where he stood. He was almost completely out of sight, but he could watch what the doctor was doing. Tsuzuki was not thrilled to be back in Nagasaki at this particular place. Hisoka's blood had soaked the ground here, and he had waited at that railing for Muraki's call. In fact there was a figure there now, in the exact spot where he had stood.

Muraki approached the slight figure looking out at the vista before him. He leaned in close and said something to the figure, who turned around.

It was Hisoka.

Tsuzuki felt his jaw drop. What was his partner doing here?

The doctor had apparently said something else because Hisoka nodded. Muraki placed his hand on the small of the boy's back and together they headed away from the outlook.

Tsuzuki was sure he was going into shock. Muraki had touched Hisoka and he had not seemed to be angry or afraid. He had not so much as flinched, and now he was willingly accompying the man to god knows where.

He realized that the pair was almost out of sight and hurried to catch up.

He wondered if Hisoka knew he was there.


	12. Chapter 12

This is such a dark chapter. Please don't kill me!

**Chapter 12**

Inwardly Hisoka trembled.

On the surface he seemed calm, if somewhat detached, but inside he was afraid. And angry. He could feel nausea fighting its way up and the cold darkness seeping into him from where Muraki's hand rested against his back. He stomped it all down beneath the heel of his will and held it in an iron grip. This was no time to fall apart.

He had raised his mental shields as high as he was able trying to block out the overpowering and unpleasant emotions emanating from the doctor. It helped to a small degree.

They had been walking for nearly twenty minutes when Muraki directed him through a gate to the front door of a fairly large, new looking house. Hisoka eased off on his shields slightly.

There, he could feel the children, their fear and confusion. They were somewhere in the house, and he could sense someone else, familiar and unexpected.

'Tsuzuki no baka!' He cursed to himself.

Hisoka fought the urge to look over his shoulder. He couldn't do anything that would alert Muraki to his partner's presence. Keeping his expression neutral, he followed the doctor into the house. A disturbing thought crossed his mind, 'Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly….'

"Come into my parlor." Muraki gestured to a room off the front hallway. Hisoka flinched at hearing his thoughts echoed, but quietly went into the room. He took a seat on a small sofa, Muraki remained standing.

"I'm afraid I'll have to leave you to your own devices for a short while bouya, there is another matter I need to take care of."

Hisoka kept his features bland, pushing away the spike of panic that pierced his mind at Muraki's words. "I suppose you do."

Muraki grinned. "I see you were aware of him too. Don't worry bouya, I don't believe you told him anything about our meeting, my dear Tsuzuki-san has been a step behind me all day." He walked out the door and turned back. "I trust you will wait here." The doctor pulled the door shut behind him and there was a faint click as the door was locked.

Hisoka surveyed the room. Against one wall there was a side bar with several bottles on it. He went over to look at them. After a moment of deliberation he picked up a bottle of red wine from the bar and uncorked it. Pulling a vial from his pocket he opened that as well. He held it to his nose and inhaled. He didn't smell anything. He emptied the contents of the vial into the bottle of wine and replaced the cork. Leaving the wine sitting on the middle of the bar he crossed to the door and tested the knob.

Locked, of course.

Hisoka let a smile touch his lips. One thing about being an avid reader, you picked up lots of interesting information. Including how to pick locks.

He pulled out his library card.

Don't leave home without it!

**XXX**

Tsuzuki watched as his partner and the man who murdered him entered the house together. As much as he wanted to follow them, he didn't think that waltzing through the front door was all that great an idea. He quickly circled the house, looking for another entrance.

At the back of the house there was a pair of wide double doors leading out to a tastefully decorated patio. Tsuzuki tried the doors and was surprised when they opened easily.

Slipping into the house, Tsuzuki crossed a large kitchen area and out into a hallway.

He had barley peeked into the first room when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

"Well, well Tsuzuki-san, you've finally decided to stop lingering in the shadows?"

Tsuzuki whirled around "Muraki!"

Muraki stood perfectly composed. "As pleased as I am at your visit, I'm afraid your timing is a little inconvenient."

Tsuzuki scowled. "Where's Hisoka?"

"Having trouble keeping track of your little partner Tsuzuki-san?" Muraki smirked "I assure you the bouya is fine. But weather or not hestays that way remains to be seen."

"I swear Muraki, if you hurt him I'll…"

"Spare me your threats." Muraki cut him off. "Of course I'm going to hurt him, it's one of my favorite pastimes. But this time he came on his own." Muraki leaned in close and Tsuzuki could feel the man's breath on his neck. "Willingly."

Tsuzuki pulled away from the doctor, striking out blindly. Muraki easily avoided the blow and Tsuzuki stumbled. It only took a small push, added to his forward momentum and Tsuzuki landed on his face.

In a flash Muraki was on his back, pulling his wrists together and securing them with his belt.

"Perhaps when I've finished with the bouya, you and I can play."

**XXX**

Hisoka move down a flight of stairs into the basement. The children were there, just ahead, he could feel them. He stopped before a closed door and tried the knob. It was locked as well.

Once again pulling out his trusty library card, Hisoka slid it between the door and the frame, offering brief thanks for cheap locks.

The door swung open revealing an unfurnished room. The children were the only things in it, huddled together in the center of the room.

They both looked up at him, their eyes large and swimming with tears.

Hisoka felt his eyes tingle in sympathy.

He reached out his hands towards the children and waited for them to come to him, he didn't want to frighten them any more by approaching them.

The little boy eyed him warily, them when Hisoka thought he was going to have to go and get them after all, the small child climbed to his feet and reached out for Hisoka's hand, dragging his sister behind him.

When the boy took his hand, Hisoka reached down and pulled both children to him and lifted them, one in each arm, and headed back up the stairs. The tiny girl laid her head on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry little ones." Hisoka told them, giving them each a gentle squeeze.

He reached the front door keeping an eye out for the demented doctor. He put the children down and opened the door as quietly as he could. He knelt down and spoke the little boy.

"Do you know how to get home?"

The boy shook his head shyly, keeping his eyes downcast.

Hisoka sighed. "I can't go with you, there something else I have to do. I want you to take your sister outside and run. You go to the first adult you see and ask them to take you to the police. Can you do that?"

The boy nodded. "I can do that."

Hisoka ran a hand over the boy's hair. "Good. Get going." He gave the children a push out the door and watched them run down the path to the road before closing the door with himself still inside.

Relaxing his mental shield a little, Hisoka reached out to find his partner. He was immediately bombarded with a multitude of emotions from the man. Anger, fear, desperation, worry? And more that he couldn't identify. Beneath it all was an odd sense of betrayal. He pushed it away. There was also a sense of cold satisfaction. That was Muraki, and it worried him. Taking a moment to compose himself and school his features, he left the front door and headed towards the maelstrom of emotions.

He passed the parlor where he had been locked in and continued down the hall until he reached a door that was partially open. He pushed it open all the way and walked into the room.

Tsuzuki was sitting in a chair with his arms behind him, Muraki stood directly in front of him, looking mildly surprised to see Hisoka.

"What is he doing here?" Hisoka asked, his voice as cold as a January night.

Tsuzuki's eyes widened, Muraki smiled.

"Why shouldn't he be here?" The doctor questioned

Hisoka looked at Tsuzuki as his mind flailed about for any reason that would make Muraki let him go.

"He wasn't invited." Hisoka heard the words come out of his mouth and felt his spirits sink. He had to think of something better, anything.

But to his surprise Muraki looked thoughtful, he turned to Tsuzuki and gave him a long look. "As much as I hate to admit it, the bouya has a point. He is here at my invitation, as are my other guests. You on the other hand, came in very rudely, unannounced. I'm afraid you'll have to leave."

With a monumental effort Hisoka managed to keep his jaw from hitting his chest. Tsuzuki showed no such restraint and his mouth gaped open.

"What?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to leave." Muraki repeated, and assisted the bound man to his feet, "It pains me to see you leave, but manners must be observed after all."

Hisoka stepped out of the way as Muraki led Tsuzuki out of the room. He followed the pair down the hallway.

"Hisoka?" Tsuzuki was straining over his shoulder to see the youth.

Hisoka met his partner's amethyst eyes for a moment, then turned away and entered the parlor.

Muraki opened the front door and gave Tsuzuki a light push through it, pulling the belt off his wrists at the same time.

"I'll see you soon Tsuzuki-san." Muraki said as he closed the door leaving the stunned man standing on the step.

Hisoka was sitting on the sofa holding a glass of wine when Muraki came into the room. The doctor raised an eyebrow at him.

"Helping yourself bouya?"

Hisoka gestured towards the bar with his glass. "Help yourself, it is yours after all."

Muraki gave him a skeptical look "You make me wonder if I should trust you."

"You probably shouldn't." Hisoka took a sip of his wine, then handed the glass to Muraki and went to pour himself another.

Muraki observed the boy for a moment, and then took a swallow of the wine.

Hisoka resumed his seat on the sofa, watching Muraki drink his wine and occasionally taking sips of his own.

"You know you impress me bouya. I never suspected you would be able to force your way into my mind using the spell I cast."

Hisoka chose not to comment.

"But as far as I can see it, I only have two options. I can remove the spell, "A slight smile touched Muraki lips, "Or I can kill you."

Hisoka shrugged. "It doesn't really matter does it? Even if you just removed the spell I would still know wouldn't I. Every time you killed somebody I would know it, even if I didn't see it." He shook his head. "I can't live like that. I would rather be dead."

Muraki finished his glass of wine and went to pour himself another. "So, you want me to kill you?" He asked as he turned around again.

"No." Anger began to colour Hisoka's voice. He set his almost empty glass down. "It's not enough. You would still be around to hurt and kill people. You have to be stopped."

"And how do you propose to do that bouya? Do you think you can fight me and…" Muraki stopped talking and a slightly pained look crossed his face.

Hisoka smiled at the man he despised "I don't need to, I'll just wait for the poison to work."

**XXX**

Tsuzuki arrived in Meifu and headed for his apartment. He knew that he should go report to Tatsumi and Watari what had happened, but what would he tell them?

Hisoka had gone to Muraki?

Hisoka had had Muraki throw him out?

What the hell was going on? Tsuzuki felt as though he was sinking in confusion.

He was so lost in his thoughts he almost missed the folded piece of paper taped to his door. It was address to him, and he unfolded it.

_Asato, _

_Gomen nasai_

_Ai shiteru_

_Hisoka_

Tsuzuki looked at the note for a long moment trying to absorb the words.

Moments later he teleported back to Chiju.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Well I'm back! I think the next chapter will be the last, therefore this is my last chance at a cliffhanger. Sorry!

All the quotes Hisoka hears in his sleep come from earlier in the story.

And, of course, my thanks and love to those who reviewed, and those who read quietly.

**Chapter 13**

Tsuzuki stood at the front door of the house he had been ejected from less than an hour before. Come hell or high water he was going to get his partner back.

He knocked on the door. Good manners had to be observed after all.

The violet eyed man soon changed his mind when there was no answer. To hell with good manners. He withdrew a fuda from his coat and threw it at the door. The door exploded inwards and Tsuzuki stepped over the splinters entering the house.

"Hisoka?" When there was no response to his call Tsuzuki headed for the room he'd last seen Hisoka enter.

He pushed open the door and froze at the sight before him.

Muraki lay face down on the floor, an empty glass beside him and a red puddle soaking into the carpet.

Tsuzuki stepped into the room before he noticed the other form on the sofa, slumped over, unmoving. He rushed to the sofa, Muraki temporarily forgotten. Placing his hands on the slim shoulders, he pulled his partner into a sitting position. Hisoka's head lolled then fell to the back of the sofa.

"Hisoka! Can you here me! Wake up, please."

Emerald eyes slid open, unfocused and glazed, then closed once again.

Tsuzuki cursed under his breath. Keeping Hisoka upright with one hand, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone with the other. He dialed a number and waited for an answer.

It was picked up on the first ring.

"Tatsumi desu."

"Tatsumi, I need you here now. Watari too." Tsuzuki gave him the address and pressed the end button.

There were a few minutes of quiet before Tsuzuki heard a familiar voice.

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

"Of course it is, who else would make toothpicks out of the front door?"

Another moment passed and Tatsumi and Watari came into the room. Watari hurried over to Tsuzuki and Hisoka while Tatsumi examined the scene.

Seeing the half empty bottle of wine on the side bar, Tatsumi went over for a closer look. He noticed something on the bar behind the wine and picked it up.

"What's this?"

The other two men looked over at him. Watari saw the vial he was holding up and his eyes went wide.

"Let me see that!"

Tatsumi crossed the room and handed the vial to the scientist. Watari looked at it closely, then held it to his nose and sniffed. Looking from Hisoka to the doctor a picture formed in his mind. He paled.

"We have to take them back to Meifu right now." Watari said as he pocketed the vial.

No one questioned his words. Tatsumi hefted Muraki, while Tsuzuki gently lifted Hisoka into his arms.

**XXX**

The moment they arrived in Meifu Watari rushed off to his lab, leaving the other two to get Hisoka and Muraki settled in the infirmary.

Watari went immediately to the cupboard where he stored potions that he had created.

Just because other found his lab chaotic didn't mean that Watari was not organized, and it only took him a moment to see where the vial had come from. He reached in and pulled out another vial containing the same potion. Thank Enma he had more, he needed it to make a cure.

That and time. Unfortunately he didn't know how much of the latter he had.

Watari had just begun to mix chemicals together when Tatsumi popped his head into the lab

"I'm going to take Minase-kun home, will you and Tsuzuki-san be alright?"

Watari barely looked up from his work. "We'll be fine. I've got to get a counteractive agent into Bon and that doctor soon if they're going to survive, but it will be a while before either one of them wakes up."

Tatsumi nodded. "I'll be back soon"

**XXX**

A half hour later saw Watari in the infirmary with two prepared syringes. Tsuzuki watched as he injected the first one into Hisoka's arm. The he turned to the still form of Muraki and prepared to give him the second injection.

"I almost wish I didn't have to do this." Watari muttered under his breath.

Tsuzuki nodded in agreement. "We save him so he can go and kill more people." He slumped. "It would probably be better if we just let him go."

"But we can't." Tatsumi's voice came from the door. "If Kurosaki-kun kills Muraki, he will be considered a rouge Shinigami, and there will be consequences."

"Don't worry Tsuzuki." Watari looked up briefly, "We'll find another way to stop Muraki from killing."

Tsuzuki looked at him in disbelief. "How?"

Watari didn't have an answer for him.

**XXX**

Voices. He could hear voices. He could practically feel them pressing against him.

"It's your fault buoya."

Was he dreaming?

"Nothing's ever easy is it? Can you feel anything?"

"Maybe you'll even discover how dear Tsuzuki-san felt and take your own life, I can only hope."

"You did not do this. It was not you. Do you understand?"

"It's okay Hisoka, we'll find a way to stop it."

"You, my doll, will never be strong enough to take on the likes of me."

"Giving up already bouya?"

"He could get lost in Muraki's mind…"

"…I hope he doesn't leave anything of himself behind…"

"You have to be stopped."

Emerald eyes opened and blinked.

'What?' Hisoka's mind whirled. He felt dizzy and sick, and very confused. 'Why am I still here?'

Looking around he saw another figure lying in a bed across the room. Hisoka slid out of the bed clinging to the edge when his knees threatened to buckle. Very slowly he made his way across the room.

A chill pierced him when he recognized the platinum hair spread across the pillow, and he let himself sink to the floor.

'This can't be happening' he thought, dropping his head into his hands. 'He's not supposed to be here. _I'm_ not supposed to be here.'

Arms wrapped around him from behind, lifting him, supporting him.

"C'mon 'Soka, you need to be in bed." A soft voice, warm breath against his ear.

"Tsuzuki?" Hisoka looked up at the older man.

"Shhh, we'll talk when you're feeling better." Tsuzuki started leading Hisoka back to the bed he'd vacated.

"No, Tsuzuki…" Hisoka tried to turn back in Tsuzuki's arms, but they tightened around him, and wouldn't allow him to turn back towards the other still sleeping form. "Why?"

Tsuzuki didn't say anything until he had gotten his partner lying comfortably in the bed. Then he stretched out on the bed beside him, sitting up against the headboard. "Hisoka, we had to save him."

Hisoka found himself looking into a pair of serious violet eyes.

"If we didn't save him we couldn't have saved you."

Tsuzuki once again wrapped his arms around the young empath. "Did you mean it?"

"What?"

Tsuzuki pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and held it up. "Did you mean it?"

Hisoka blushed a firey red. "Yes, I meant it" He whispered

Tsuzuki held him tight, squeezing the breath right out of him.

**XXX**

"…lost in Muraki's mind…"

"…leave anything of himself behind…"

"You have to be stopped."

Dreaming, voices…

Agitation, anxiety, Tsuzuki?

Hisoka opened his eyes in time to see Tsuzuki leaving the room at a quick pace. A low moan drew his attention to the other bed. Muraki was beginning to stir.

'…leave something of himself behind…'

An idea occurred to Hisoka and he got to his feet, ignoring the nausea that the movement caused and the ache in his body. He teleported out of the infirmary, returning less than a minute later.

He walked over to his tormenter's bed and felt for the link that Muraki had created between them, reaching out for Muraki's mind.

Silver blue eyes opened and stared into emerald green.

Hisoka _pushed _into Muraki's mind with his empathy, as hard as he could. A cold sense of darkness surrounded him.

Muraki stiffened, his eyes still locked with Hisoka's and Hisoka could feel Muraki's mind rising to push him out, or worse. Before the doctor could rally his defenses, Hisoka mentally let go of part of his talent and withdrew.

Muraki slowly, painfully pulled himself into a sitting position. "What are you doing bouya?"

Hisoka tossed his gun, which he had just collected from his apartment into Muraki's lap.

"Hurt me."

Muraki looked from the gun to Hisoka. He picked up the gun.

"Happy to oblige."

**XXX**

"Watari!"

The blonde in question looked up as Tsuzuki rushed into the lab.

"Muraki's waking up."

"Oh, right." Watari looked over his table for the syringe he filled earlier with a sedative, he found it after a few minutes under a loose paper. "Can't have that man running all over Meifu."

Tsuzuki fidgeted as he waited for the scientist to hurry. "C'mon Watari!"

"Alright, I'm coming."

The two men were headed back to the infirmary when they heard the gunshot, followed by a cry of pain.


	14. Chapter 14

This is it. The last gasp of Say Goodbye. I'm sorry it's short, but there wasn't much left. I can't believe it's done!

Thank you every one who read, and I hope every one enjoyed.

And special thanks to the wonderful (and brave) people who reviewed.

Please let me know it you liked it, or didn't!

**Chapter 14**

Tsuzuki and Watari burst into the infirmary only to stop at the sight before them.

Hisoka was lying on the floor, blood pooling around his body from the gaping wound in his chest. Muraki lay in his bed, doubled over, clenching his chest in pain, moaning softly.

It took a few moments before Watari realized that the cry of pain that he and Tsuzuki had heard had come from the doctor.

Tsuzuki moved to Hisoka's side as if in a daze and knelt down, reaching out to touch his face. The jade eyes opened and Hisoka looked up at Tsuzuki.

He smiled. "It worked."

Hisoka passed out.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Tatsumi asked in a near shout from the doorway.

Tsuzuki didn't react to the noise, his entire being focused on the youth in front of him.

Watari gestured Tatsumi over, not taking his eyes off the doctor, who had stopped moaning, and now seemed to be simply trying to catch his breath.

"That little bastard!" Muraki snarled focusing hate filled eyes on Hisoka, who Tsuzuki had lifted in his arms. The enraged man made a move as if to attack the couple, and both Tatsumi and Watari jumped forward to restrain him, the latter pulling out the prepared syringe and injecting it into the doctor's arm.

Muraki struggled against them for a few minutes and then went limp.

At the first signs of aggression from Muraki, Tsuzuki had turned protectively, shielding his partner from any possible attack. When he looked back and saw that Muraki was unconscious he let out a sigh of relief.

"Watari?"

Watari went over to examine Hisoka. He grimaced. "Lay him down, I want to get the bullet out of there before he wakes up again." He looked up and noticed the pained expression on Tsuzuki's face. "Don't worry, he'll be fine."

**XXX**

Tsuzuki spent an entire day sitting by Hisoka's side anxiously waiting for the empath to wake up. Watari had removed the bullet and bandaged the wound to prevent more blood loss, all the while assuring the other man that Hisoka really would be alright. Now he entered the infirmary periodically to check on the youth, and occasionally administer more sedatives to Muraki, keeping him asleep.

Once again Tsuzuki pulled out the folded note he had found on his door and re-read the simple lines written there. He felt a flush of warmth at the words. He looked over at his partner and found himself looking into brilliant emerald eyes.

"Tsuzuki?" Hisoka reached out a hand to him, and he grasped it, holding on as if offering the younger man a life line. He would never let go.

A flush of colour spread across Hisoka's face, but he didn't break eye contact, until his eyes closed, and he fell into a deep sleep, still clinging to Tsuzuki's hand.

**XXX**

"What did you do Hisoka?"

Another full day had passed since the first time he had woken up, and Hisoka was healing quickly. Aside from the occasional twinges in his chest, he felt almost back to normal. He was sitting up in his bed, Tsuzuki close to his side. Watari and Tatsumi sat on the other side of the bed, both eager to hear the explanation.

"I left something of myself behind." He received three and a half (don't forget 003) confused looks at his cryptic statement.

"Why does that sound familiar?" Watari asked himself quietly, searching his memory.

"I think we need more information than that Kurosaki-kun, please continue."

Hisoka nodded. "I went into his mind again, and I left a part of my empathy behind." He looked over at the sleeping doctor. "Not much, but enough that if he inflicts pain on another person, he will experience that pain himself."

Tsuzuki's eyes widened. "So if he kills anyone…"

"He'll feel it."

Hisoka felt a flash of anger from his partner

"And you thought the best way to find out if it worked was to let him shoot you?" Tsuzuki asked incredulously.

Hisoka ducked his head, the flash of anger came from Tsuzuki's worry for him, and he had a hard time keeping a small grin off his lips. "Sorry."

"Sorry!"

Hisoka gave up and grinned. "I wasn't really thinking."

"Well that's obvious." But Tsuzuki couldn't help but return the grin.

"So we should be able to send Muraki back to Chiju?" Tatsumi asked.

"Hai."

**XXX**

Hisoka sat up in bed gasping for breath. Another nightmare. He had been through too much in the last few weeks to avoid them. A week had passed since Watari had released him from the infirmary with a clean bill of health. Even the marks on his back were finally fading and would soon be gone. But the memories and nightmares still haunted him.

A pair of arms wrapped around him and pulled him back down to the bed. Hisoka found himself surrounded by warmth and comfort. He felt himself relax into the embrace.

"Soka? You okay?" Tsuzuki questioned in a sleepy voice.

"Aa, just a dream."

He was alright. No one had seen of heard anything of Muraki since he had been returned to his house, still asleep. Nothing came through the slowly fading link.

It had been a quiet week. There had been no new cases and Hisoka used the time to heal physically and emotionally, and to explore the new level of his relationship with his partner.

He loved him, and now Tsuzuki knew it.

And Tsuzuki loved him back.

Hisoka snuggled in closer to his partner and felt the arms around him tighten. He let peace and contentment drift over him, the nightmare forgotten.

He let himself fall into sleep, a smile on his face.

The smile stayed.

_**Fin**_


End file.
